Malaysia, People First, Performance Now: Attaining Service Excellence through Citizen-Centric Complaints Management By Dato Dr.

Tam Weng Wah

The article was return by Dato Dr. Tam Weng Wah and was Published in journal Pentadbir, Jilid 12, 2010. The journal Pentadbir is published by the Administrative and Diplomatic Service Association, Malaysia (PPTD).

ABSTRACT

In its efforts to move the Malaysian economy from a middle income to a high income nation, it is essential that the public sector must be ready to lead in this transformation process by radically transforming its public service delivery at all levels of the government. Being the agency that is responsible for ensuring that public sector agencies are performing to the expectations of the stakeholders and the people, the Public Complaints Bureau (PCB) is becoming a key component in this transformation equation. This article provides some insights regarding the roles, responsibilities and approaches of PCB in resolving public complaints and also highlights some key features of an effective public complaints management system which could serve as a guideline for public sector organizations.

Introduction Given the current unprecedented challenges of a rapidly changing global environment, Malaysia has to transform itself quickly from a middle income to a high income nation so that we can achieve the aspirations of Vision 2010. To achieve this end, there is a need to transform the economy as well as the government so that we can compete effectively in

the global marketplace. In this regard, the Honourable Prime Minister has introduced the concept of 1Malaysia, People First and Performance Now to propel the nation towards Vision 2020. To ensure that public sector agencies always remain in top gear to drive this transformation process, managing public complaints is the key to sustaining a high performance public service. In this context, the Public Complaints Bureau (PCB) is becoming a key agency in helping the government to improve the public service delivery system. Role and Responsibilities of PCB As a government agency, PCB strives to be a key organisation which contributes towards achieving public service excellence through resolving public complaints in a prompt, effective and courteous manner. Since its establishment in 1971, the key function of the PCB is to serve as a conduit between the Government and the people in handling a multitude of complaints by the public against the government agencies. Therefore, PCB serves as the focal point for the public to forward their complaints and seek redress on their grievances with the public sector agencies.

Over the years, PCB has transformed from being a passive and reactive organisation into one that is actively going down to the ground to seek and redress problems of the people in dealing with the public sector through its various proactive programmes, such as Mesra Rakyat (MESRA), Integrated Mobile Public Complaints Counter and Mobile Complaints Counter. Furthermore, to expand its coverage to serve the people better, PCB has opened state offices in Selangor, Melaka, Perak, Pahang, Sabah and Sarawak, in addition to its existing four regional offices (Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Kuala Terengganu and Johor).

Being Proactive, Not Reactive

Besides receiving complaints, PCB now also acts as a complainant. Instead of sitting

passively in the office waiting for the public to make complaints, all PCB personnel are required to identify areas of public service inefficiencies, particularly at the local level and forward them to the respective agencies for action. Another proactive approach adopted by PCB is the daily media monitoring programme, whereby complaints reported in the various newspapers are selected for follow-up action and resolution with the relevant agencies. Besides newspapers, it also monitors complaints highlighted in local television programmes such as Talian Hayat (NTV7) and Aduan Rakyat (TV3) for further action.

Being High-Tech, High-Touch

In keeping pace with the rapid information communication and technological advancements, PCB has also gone high tech, high touch by providing 24x7 access through its website (http://www.pcb.gov.my) for complainants to submit their complaints anytime, anywhere and at their convenience using the i-Aduan complaints management system. Furthermore, the function of i-Aduan is not limited only to lodging complaints as the complainants can also check the status of their complaints through the system. As part of the ongoing effort to make PCB services closer to the public, PCB has recently added another channel for the public to lodge their complaints. The public now can submit their complaints to PCB by using the short messaging system (SMS) to 15888 (BPA ADUAN). They can also check the status and progress of their complaints via SMS (BPA STATUS).

i-SPAAA

In recent years, PCB has stepped up efforts to strengthen and consolidate its role as the key agency in managing public complaints. In this regard, PCB is in the midst of implementing i-SPAAA (Integrated Public Agencies Complaints Monitoring System) in all ministries and government agencies. The introduction of this integrated system

complaints management system will enable government agencies to manage public complaints more efficiently and effectively. Under i-SPAAA, the public will be able to channel their complaints through a web-based complaints management system to any government agencies anytime, anywhere. The public will also be able to check the status of their complaints electronically at their convenience, in accordance with the concept information at your fingertips. In addition, with i-SPAAA, PCB will be able to conduct a more holistic analysis of the recurrent complaints received to determine their root causes and propose remedial measures as well as preventive actions by the respective agencies to further improve the quality of public service delivery.

Development Administration Circular No. 1/2009

Recognising that speedy resolution of public complaints is the key to enhancing citizen satisfaction, PCB has shortened the complaints management process cycle from 41 days to 15 working days with the issuance of the Development Administration Circular No. 1/2009 on 24 February 2009. To highlight the governments emphasis on the need to take complaints seriously, the circular also specifies the need to appoint a senior officer at the level of Deputy Secretary General/Deputy Director General/Deputy State Secretary to monitor public complaints in their respective agencies. The circular also requires that Public Complaints be made a permanent agenda in the management meeting of all department and agencies.

Permanent Committee on Public Complaints

Although it does not have the power and authority of a traditional Ombudsman, PCB reports its activities and the findings of inquiry on selected complaints to the Permanent Committee on Public Complaints (PCPC), which would then decide on the appropriate actions to be taken. This Committee is chaired by the Chief Secretary to the Government

and its members are the Director General of Public Service (PSD), the Secretary General of Treasury, the Chief Commissioner of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, the Director General of Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU) and the Senior Deputy Secretary General in the Prime Ministers Department. The Committee has extensive powers which include the right to institute investigations and to direct any officer to appear before it to explain the action or inaction that gives rise to a complaint. It must be noted here that the Chief Secretary to the Government who is the Chairman of the Committee is also the head of the civil service. Therefore, he wields wide ranging powers inherent with the position. Furthermore, PCB also submits a quarterly report to the Cabinet on complaints received and resolved by the respective ministries. Hence, heads of ministries, departments and agencies do usually give serious attention to complaints that are sent to them for action by PCB. Although, admittedly PCB does not have any explicit power or authority to instruct or compel Government departments and agencies to change a decision or action based on the outcome of the investigation, PCB does carry an implicit authority by virtue of being an agency under the Prime Minister's Department. This simply means that Government departments and agencies cannot easily ignore matters that are brought to their attention by PCB.

Corrective and Preventive Actions

In line with the Honourable Prime Ministers call for more innovative and creative approaches in enhancing public service delivery, PCB together with the agencies are working together to identify possible innovations based on recurrent complaints received that can result in the improvement of service delivery in the public sector. Therefore, besides informing PCB what action has been taken to resolve a complaint, complaint managers are also required to identify preventive measures taken for each valid complaint received. A report is compiled weekly by PCB and a summary of the findings are shared with the Secretaries General of the various ministries. This information is also made

available on PCBs website.

Complaint is a Gift and Opportunity

Granted that complaints are means of registering displeasure by the public and that complaints are manifestation of dissatisfaction, in this instance, towards the services rendered by government departments and agencies, it does not mean that we should not welcome complaints at all. In fact, we should treat complaint as a gift because it provides us the opportunity to identify areas that we could be further improved (Barlow and Moller, 2008). In the long run, PCB is hopeful to inculcate the culture of constructive complaints in the society. This involves mind-set shifting efforts by the PCB as currently complaints are largely regarded as nuisance and not opportunities for improvements. Nevertheless, as a first step, PCB is making it easier and easier for people to submit their complaints. Therefore, the rising number of complaints from 8,066 in 2008 to 12,683 in 2009 does not necessarily mean that the performance of government agencies and departments have deteriorated. Rather, it could mean that the public has utmost confidence that their grievances, bring about through the complaints, will be attended to accordingly by PCB. It is also the results of the aggressive efforts by PCB to actively seek complaints through its various proactive programmes as well as the use of the information communication technology to facilitate the submission of complaints anytime, anywhere, anyhow. In line with the concept 1Malaysia, People First, Performance Now, PCB will strive to provide speedy complaints resolution in a prompt, fair and courteous manner. Despite the increase in number of complaints received, our complaints resolution rate improved from 90.6% in 2008 to 97.6% in 2009. PCB and Asian Ombudsman Association It is also interesting to note that although PCB is not an Ombudsman, it is a founding member of the Asian Ombudsman Association (AOA) and the Director General of PCB

is a member of the Board of Directors, which is an elected position. This reflects the recognition of the importance and role of PCB in addressing issues related to administrative abuse and mal-administration in the public sector. Through our association with AOA, we are able to share our experiences and to learn from each other in our journey towards enhancing public service delivery. From time to time, PCB officers are sent to attend courses conducted by AOA to enhance their level of professionalism as well as to share their experiences with others. Furthermore, PCB is also held in high esteem by AOA members as well as the international community. It frequently receives visit from AOA members who have come to exchange and share their experiences as well as to learn about our approaches in managing public complaints. Some of these visits were sponsored by their respective countries or international organisations including the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Other Institutions and Mechanisms Besides PCB, there are also several entities in the current set-up to deal with the various issues of administrative abuse and mal-administration; these include the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission (MACC), the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC), Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) and the Auditor General Office. PCB, being part of the Government machinery does not impede its effectiveness in carrying out the task entrusted to us. In our many exchanges with the Ombudsman of other countries, our position is looked upon as an advantage as we have direct relationship with other Government agencies and thus in a better position to see through our recommendations or resolutions of complaints. Key Features of an Effective Complaints Management System The above sections highlight the roles and responsibilities as well as the mechanisms and approaches adopted by PCB in resolving public complaints. The following sections will focus on some of the key features of an effective complaints management system based

on the guidelines provided by the Ombudsman of Queensland, Australia (2006) which is also in alignment with the International and Australian Standards AS ISO 10002:2006 Customer Satisfaction Guidelines for Complaints Handling in Organisations. Framework for Effective Complaints Management

Commitment Firstly, there must be a sincere commitment by top management and at all levels of the organisation to encourage complaints or feedback to help improve the level of service

delivery. This commitment is reflected in having a clear policy and specific procedures on how complaints are being handled by the organisation. Without a clear policy to guide the use of discretionary powers or to set the directions for actions supported by specific procedures on the processes of complaints management, there will not be consistency and fairness, but confusion and dissatisfaction, when the staffs are asked to handle a wide range of complaints received. As such the complaints policy and procedures should be clearly stated and widely understood by all employees. The policy should reflect all the important principles of complaints management and suits the organisations needs, structure as well as its modes of service delivery. It should also be efficient and not too cumbersome to be implemented and it should also create opportunities for value addition and value creation through business process improvement. The policy should also state clearly the boundaries or the scope of its jurisdiction, namely under what situation or condition it is applicable and to whom it is applicable. For instance, the main focus of PCB is on complaints against government departments and agencies. Therefore cases under the purview of the courts, Public Accounts Committee as well as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission are not within the scope of PCB. Nevertheless, in line with the No Wrong Door Policy, PCB will forward the cases to the appropriate authorities for immediate action instead of asking the complainants to do it themselves. It is also essential to provide a clear explanation as to how complaints are received, processed, managed, resolved and reviewed. The structure, processes as well as the role of complaints management officers should be stated clearly, using a flow chart. It should also spell out clearly where the complainant can appeal if he or she is unhappy with the decision. To reduce complaints fatigue, it is recommended that there should not be more than two levels of internal review. Nevertheless, if the complaint is still unhappy, there should be an opportunity for external review. In this instance, the complainants can

refer their cases to PCB if they are dissatisfied with the decisions of the agencies or departments. Communication It is pointless to have a clear policy and well written procedures if the documents are just kept on the shelf and not shared with the employees and clients. It needs to be communicated to the internal and external clients so that both parties are well aware of how complaints are being handled by the organisation. This will help reduce misconception, conflict and confusion between the complainants and the staff who are handling the complaints. Therefore, complaints policy and procedures must be displayed prominently within the premises of the organisation as well as on the website. Continuous tranining must be provided to new employees to ensure that they are well aware of the policy and procedures in handling complaints in the organisation. To enhance inclusiveness, the needs of the minority and disadvantage groups must also be carefully considered. Visibility and Accessibility Having a clear complaint policy and processes is not enough; there must be appropriate mechanisms and strategies to ensure that the public as well as the staff are aware of: where to complain; how to complain; what information is required when they complain; what assistance is available to people who want to complaint; and how the complaint will be managed (duration, progress reports, final decision or advise). To make it highly visible and easily accessible to both the employees and clients, the complaints policies and procedures should be uploaded into the website or portal. In the

case of the PCB, the complaints procedures are readily available on its website. Furthermore, publicity programmes on the radio, newspapers and television are being conducted regularly to enhance the level of awareness among the public regarding the roles and responsibilities of PCB as well as how they can lodge a complaint against a government department or agency. In addition, PCB also takes the opportunity while responding to issues highlighted in the press to publicise its roles, responsibilities, programmes and activities. Responsiveness Another key feature of effective complaints management is responsiveness; i.e. the ability of the organisation to respond promptly to the issues raised by the complainants. Therefore, all personnel must be aware of and well versed with the content of the complaint policy and procedures. In terms of speed, all complaints should be treated as urgent and handled in a timely as stated in the clients charter. The complaints received need to be tracked and timeframe for resolution should be monitored closely. In cases where it takes a long time to resolve, the complainant expects to be provided with regular reports and updates of the situation. Very often, the complainants are kept in the dark as to the status or progress of their cases and this could be very frustrating which results in the complaints being escalated to a higher level by them. Assessment and Action Assessment and action is the key to the integrity of an effective complaints management system. In other words, how a complaint is being assessed and acted upon is a critical component in determining the credibility of the complaints management system. It should have proper mechanisms and strategies to ensure that each complaint is assessed objectively and fairly based on several criteria including its severity, implications on safety, complexity, impact and urgency as suggested by the ISO 10002:2006 Customer Satisfaction Guidelines for Complaints Handling in Organisations. The purpose of

proper assessment is to understand the nature of the complaint and to determine how and who is the appropriate person to handle it. Feedback Although some complainants may not be interested to know the outcome of their complaints because they just want release their frustrations and needed someone to hear them out, majority of the complainants will want to know the outcome of their complaints. Therefore providing timely feedback to the complainant is an essential feature of an effective complaints management system. Besides providing timely

feedback as to the outcome of the complainant, the organisation should also inform the complainant of any available internal or external review mechanisms. Since complaints also provide insights on what aspects of the organisation that are not doing well and where things can be improved further, there is also a need to channel the feedback to those who are responsible for the systemic improvement of the organisation. That is why we should treat complaints as a gifts since they provide us insights on areas that need further improvement. Resources Resources in terms of trained personnel and technology are also critical to ensure an effective complaints management system. Therefore it is important to select the right kind of people to handle complaints. Some of the essential attributes include being courteous, non-judgmental, sensitive to cultural diversity, respect confidentiality and privacy, ability to communicate and negotiate effectively as well as being fair and firm. Besides the human aspect, attention must also be given to the utilisation of information and communication technology to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the complaints management system. This will also help to improve the recording, tracking and analysis of the complaints information such as the nature of complaints, complaints

channels, the locations and persons involved, corrective and preventive actions taken, response time and outcomes. Remedies Organisations must also decide on what kind of remedies that could be offered to complainants if their complaints are found to be justified. To be fair, the remedy must at least restore the previous condition or position of the complainants before the incidents happened. There are several conditions that must be kept in mind when deciding on the specific remedies; the remedy must be fair and reasonable as well as consistent and comprehensive in coverage. In terms of the types of remedies, these may include admission of error and apologise; changing position or reversal of decision; revision of law, policy, regulations and procedures; compensation; promising not to repeat the error; repairing the damaged facilities or rehabilitation; and providing explanation on why it occurred. Business Improvement As highlighted earlier, a complaint is a gift and it provides us with the opportunities for improvement or even transformation. Therefore organisations must analyse carefully the emerging trends as well as the areas of focus that need attention based on the complaints received. Once the source or root-cause of a recurring problem has been identified, the organisation can take the appropriate actions to improve its business processes and service delivery. Monitoring Effectiveness To ensure quality and consistency, the complaints management system must be assessed regularly by internal as well as external parties. Therefore it is essential to conduct regular assessment or review of the complaints management system. These may include areas such as whether the policies and regulations are being followed and whether actions

are taken according to the specified timeframe. In PCB, regular spot checks and random internal audits are being conduct to ensure the quality and consistency of the complaints management system. The implementation of MS ISO 9001:2008 is also an attempt to ensure consistency and quality in handling complaints at all levels of the organisation. Likewise, PCB is also in the process of engaging an external reviewer to examine its effectiveness in handling complaints. Another key structure that has been set-up as part of the quality control mechanism is the PCB Advisory Council which provides an external and independent view on its effectiveness. Last but no least, the annual Customer Survey Index also provides feedback as to how well we are doing and what needs to be improved from the perspective of the clients. External Review Finally, an effective complaints management system should also provide the opportunity for external review in addition to the internal review. In the case of complaints against government agencies, the complainants can forward their complaints to PCB if they are unhappy with the decision of the respective departments or agencies. If they are still dissatisfied with the outcome of the decision after PCBs intervention, the complainants have the option to bring the matter to the attention of the court, i.e. to take legal action against the government agencies or departments concerned. Conclusion Managing complaints effectively is the key to enhancing public service delivery which could help transform Malaysia into a high income nation by 2020. Since complaints are indicators showing areas where service delivery could be further improved, they do provide us with ample opportunities to make a significant difference in the national transformation process. In this regard, PCB has adopted a more proactive and inclusive approach as well as incorporated the use of technology in dealing with public complaints. Besides the discussion on the roles, responsibilities and approaches of PCB in resolving

public complaints, this paper also highlighted several key features of an effective complaints management system. These key features can serve as an important checklist or guidelines for those who really want to develop a robust and effective complaints management system for their respective organisations. Therefore, if top management is really serious about improving public service delivery, one key component is to set up an effective complaints management system to ensure that public complaints are managed in a more systematic and holistic manner.

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Barlow, J. & Moller, C. (2008). A Complaint Is A Gift. Beret-Koehler Publishers Inc.

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