• BC-4 BC-4 Customer Complaints Procedures

    • BC-4.1 BC-4.1 General Requirements

      • BC-4.1.1

        All licensees must have appropriate customer complaints handling procedures and systems for effective handling of complaints.

        January 2014

      • BC-4.1.2

        Customer complaints procedures must be documented appropriately and their customers must be informed of their availability.

        January 2014

      • BC-4.1.3

        All licensees must appoint a customer complaints officer and publicise his/ her contact details at all departments and branches and on the licensee's website. The customer complaints officer must be of a senior level at the licensee and must be independent of the parties to the complaint to minimise any potential conflict of interest.

        January 2014

      • BC-4.1.4

        The position of customer complaints officer may be combined with that of compliance officer.

        January 2014

    • BC-4.2 BC-4.2 Documenting Customer Complaints Handling Procedures

      • BC-4.2.1

        In order to make customer complaints handling procedures as transparent and accessible as possible, all licensees must document their customer complaints handling procedures. These include setting out in writing:

        (a) The procedures and policies for:
        (i) Receiving and acknowledging complaints;
        (ii) Investigating complaints;
        (iii) Responding to complaints within appropriate time limits;
        (iv) Recording information about complaints;
        (v) Identifying recurring system failure issues;
        (b) The types of remedies available for resolving complaints; and
        (c) The organisational reporting structure for the complaints handling function.
        January 2014

      • BC-4.2.2

        Licensees must provide a copy of the procedures to all relevant staff, so that they may be able to inform customers. A simple and easy-to-use guide to the procedures must also be made available to all customers, on request, and when they want to make a complaint.

        January 2014

      • BC-4.2.3

        Licensees are required to ensure that all financial services related documentation (such as credit facility documentation) provided to the customer includes a statement informing the customer of the availability of a simple and easy-to-use guide on customer complaints procedures in the event the customer is not satisfied with the services provided.

        January 2014

    • BC-4.3 BC-4.3 Principles for Effective Handling of Complaints

      • BC-4.3.1

        Adherence to the following principles is required for effective handling of complaints:

        January 2014

      • Visibility

        • BC-4.3.2

          "How and where to complain" must be well publicised to customers and other interested parties, in both English and Arabic languages.

          January 2014

      • Accessibility

        • BC-4.3.3

          A complaints handling process must be easily accessible to all customers and must be free of charge.

          January 2014

        • BC-4.3.4

          While a licensee's website is considered an acceptable mean for dealing with customer complaints, it should not be the only means available to customers as not all customers have access to the internet.

          January 2014

        • BC-4.3.5

          Process information must be readily accessible and must include flexibility in the method of making complaints.

          January 2014

        • BC-4.3.6

          Support for customers in interpreting the complaints procedures must be provided, upon request.

          January 2014

        • BC-4.3.7

          Information and assistance must be available on details of making and resolving a complaint.

          January 2014

        • BC-4.3.8

          Supporting information must be easy to understand and use.

          January 2014

      • Responsiveness

        • BC-4.3.9

          Receipt of complaints must be acknowledged in accordance with Section BC-4.5 "Response to Complaints".

          January 2014

        • BC-4.3.10

          Complaints must be addressed promptly in accordance with their urgency.

          January 2014

        • BC-4.3.11

          Customers must be treated with courtesy.

          January 2014

        • BC-4.3.12

          Customers must be kept informed of the progress of their complaint, in accordance with Section BC-4.5.

          January 2014

        • BC-4.3.13

          If a customer is not satisfied with a licensee's response, the licensee must advise the customer on how to take the complaint further within the organisation.

          January 2014

        • BC-4.3.14

          In the event that they are unable to resolve a complaint, licensees must outline the options that are open to that customer to pursue the matter further, including, where appropriate, referring the matter to the Consumer Protection Unit at the CBB.

          Amended: April 2020
          Added: January 2014

      • Objectivity and Efficiency

        • BC-4.3.15

          Complaints must be addressed in an equitable, objective, unbiased and efficient manner.

          January 2014

        • BC-4.3.16

          General principles for objectivity in the complaints handling process include:

          (a) Openness:

          The process must be clear and well publicised so that both staff and customers can understand;
          (b) Impartiality:
          (i) Measures must be taken to protect the person the complaint is made against from bias;
          (ii) Emphasis must be placed on resolution of the complaint not blame; and
          (iii) The investigation must be carried out by a person independent of the person complained about;
          (c) Accessibility:
          (i) The bank must allow customer access to the process at any reasonable point in time; and
          (ii) A joint response must be made when the complaint affects different participants;
          (d) Completeness:

          The complaints officer must find relevant facts, talk to both sides, establish common ground and verify explanations wherever possible;
          (e) Equitability:

          Give equal treatment to all parties;
          (f) Sensitivity:

          Each complaint must be treated on its merits and paying due care to individual circumstances;
          (g) Objectivity for personnel — complaints handling procedures must ensure those complained about are treated fairly which implies:
          (i) Informing them immediately and completely on complaints about performance;
          (ii) Giving them an opportunity to explain and providing appropriate support;
          (iii) Keeping them informed of the progress and result of the complaint investigation;
          (iv) Full details of the complaint are given to those the complaint is made against prior to interview; and
          (v) Personnel must be assured they are supported by the process and should be encouraged to learn from the experience and develop a better understanding of the complaints process;
          (h) Confidentiality:
          (i) In addition to customer confidentiality, the process must ensure confidentiality for staff who have a complaint made against them and the details must only be known to those directly concerned;
          (ii) Customer information must be protected and not disclosed, unless the customer consents otherwise; and
          (iii) Protect the customer and customer's identity as far as is reasonable to avoid deterring complaints due to fear of inconvenience or discrimination;
          (i) Objectivity monitoring:

          Licensees must monitor responses to customers to ensure objectivity which could include random monitoring of resolved complaints;
          (j) Charges:

          The process must be free of charge to customers;
          (k) Customer Focused Approach:
          (i) Licensees must have a customer focused approach;
          (ii) Licensees must be open to feedback; and
          (iii) Licensees must show commitment to resolving problems;
          (l) Accountability:

          Licensees must ensure accountability for reporting actions and decisions with respect to complaints handling;
          (m) Continual improvement:

          Continual improvement of the complaints handling process and the quality of products and services must be a permanent objective of the licensee.
          January 2014

    • BC-4.4 BC-4.4 Internal Complaint Handling Procedures

      • BC-4.4.1

        A licensee's internal complaint handling procedures must provide for:

        (a) The receipt of written complaints;
        (b) The appropriate investigation of complaints;
        (c) An appropriate decision-making process in relation to the response to a customer complaint;
        (d) Notification of the decision to the customer;
        (e) The recording of complaints; and
        (f) How to deal with complaints when a business continuity plan (BCP) is operative.
        January 2014

      • BC-4.4.2

        A licensee's internal complaint handling procedures must be designed to ensure that:

        (a) All complaints are handled fairly, effectively and promptly;
        (b) Recurring systems failures are identified, investigated and remedied;
        (c) The number of unresolved complaints referred to the CBB is minimised;
        (d) The employee responsible for the resolution of complaints has the necessary authority to resolve complaints or has ready access to an employee who has the necessary authority; and
        (e) Relevant employees are aware of the licensee's internal complaint handling procedures and comply with them and receive training periodically to be kept abreast of changes in procedures.
        January 2014

    • BC-4.5 BC-4.5 Response to Complaints

      • BC-4.5.1

        A licensee must acknowledge in writing customer written complaints within 5 working days of receipt.

        January 2014

      • BC-4.5.2

        A licensee must respond in writing to a customer complaint within 4 weeks of receiving the complaint, explaining their position and how they propose to deal with the complaint.

        January 2014

      • Redress

        • BC-4.5.3

          A licensee should decide and communicate how it proposes (if at all) to provide the customer with redress. Where appropriate, the licensee must explain the options open to the customer and the procedures necessary to obtain the redress.

          January 2014

        • BC-4.5.4

          Where a licensee decides that redress in the form of compensation is appropriate, the licensee must provide the complainant with fair compensation and must comply with any offer of compensation made by it which the complainant accepts.

          January 2014

        • BC-4.5.5

          Where a licensee decides that redress in a form other than compensation is appropriate, it must provide the redress as soon as practicable.

          January 2014

        • BC-4.5.6

          Should the customer that filed a complaint not be satisfied with the response received as per Paragraph BC-4.5.2, he can forward the complaint to the Consumer Protection Unit at the CBB within 30 calendar days from the date of receiving the letter.

          Amended: April 2020
          Added: January 2014

    • BC-4.6 BC-4.6 Records of Complaints

      • BC-4.6.1

        A licensee must maintain a record of all customers' complaints. The record of each complaint must include:

        (a) The identity of the complainant;
        (b) The substance of the complaint;
        (c) The status of the complaint, including whether resolved or not, and whether redress was provided; and
        (d) All correspondence in relation to the complaint. Such records must be retained by the licensees for a period of 5 years from the date of receipt of the complaint.
        January 2014

    • BC-4.7 BC-4.7 Reporting of Complaints

      • BC-4.7.1

        A licensee must submit to the CBB’s Consumer Protection Unit, 30 days after the end of the quarter, a quarterly report summarising the following:

        (a) The number of complaints received;
        (b) The substance of the complaints;
        (c) The number of days it took the licensee to acknowledge and to respond to the complaints; and
        (d) The status of the complaint, including whether resolved or not, and whether redress was provided.
        Amended: January 2022
        Amended: April 2020
        Added: January 2014

      • BC-4.7.2

        The report referred to in Paragraph BC-4.7.1 must be sent electronically to complaint@cbb.gov.bh.

        Amended: April 2020
        Added: January 2014

      • BC-4.7.3

        Where no complaints have been received by the licensee within the quarter, a 'nil' report should be submitted to the CBB's Consumer Protection Unit.

        Amended: April 2020
        Added: January 2014

    • BC-4.8 BC-4.8 Monitoring and Enforcement

      • BC-4.8.1

        Compliance with these requirements is subject to the ongoing supervision of the CBB as well as being part of any CBB inspection of a licensee. Failure to comply with these requirements is subject to enforcement measures as outlined in Module EN (Enforcement).

        January 2014