Purpose

The Client Service and Complaints Policy includes the Township of Russell’s response standards, formal complaint process, and its Accessibility Policy.

The Client Service and Complaints Policy establishes the Township of Russell's response time standards and etiquette when providing external client service, to ensure a consistent and reliable approach in serving our community. It also sets a transparent and fair process for addressing formal complaints relating to service delivery.

Policy

Response Times

Our response standards are:

  • Calls and Voicemails: responses will be provided within two business days.
  • External Emails: responses will be provided within two business days.
  • Social Media: responses will be provided within two business days, when a response is necessary. Employees will adhere to the Township’s Communication Policy and reference the Social Media Response Chart for guidance as needed.
  • Letters and Regular Mail: responses will be provided within five business days, where possible.

Response times are according to regular business hours, from Monday to Friday between 8:30a.m. and 4:30p.m.

Due to the requirement to gather information, a full response or resolution may take longer than the response times set in this policy. In this case, an acknowledgement response with be provided within our standards, and a full response or resolution will follow in a timeframe appropriate to the situation.

Client Service Etiquette

The following etiquette will apply during all client service interactions:

  • A designated employee will be present at each reception desk to greet residents. When the designated employee is on a meal period or break, vacation day, or sick day, another designated employee will be present at the reception desk until their return.
  • If there is a resident at a reception desk and the telephone rings, the employee will excuse themselves, answer the telephone, ask the caller if they prefer to be put on hold or have their call returned, and continue to help the resident at the reception desk.
  • Employees will use automatic email replies to notify others externally if the employee is either out of the office, on vacation, or not available to respond to email messages. The automatic email reply will include the contact information of another employee for urgent matters.
  • If an employee cannot answer a question that is related to their duties, the employee will offer the resident the option of either contacting the client with a response later or contacting a supervisor. The supervisor can either speak to the resident in person, by telephone or by setting an appointment to meet the resident in person later.
  • Employees will have Township identification on their person when visiting residents as part of their role.
  • During a planned or unexpected disruption to services or facilities, the Township will notify residents promptly on channels most appropriate to the situation. This might include the municipal website, email list, social media, a notice posted at a physical facility, or other. The notice will include the reason for the disruption, the anticipated length of time, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available.
  • Although the Township strives to resolve all resident inquiries and issues, employees are authorized to end a conversation with a resident who demonstrates threatening, aggressive or inappropriate behavior/ language. Where possible, the resident should be informed that continued inappropriate behavior will cause the employee to end the conversation. Employees are not expected to put themselves at risk during an interaction with a resident. As per Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act, employees shall be provided with a safe workplace free from violence, threats of violence and/or harassment.
  • Employees approached outside of working hours will direct the resident to inquire or report through the Township website, email, or voicemail system so employees may address their request appropriately during regular business hours.
  • If an employee receives a report or question during their working hours, and the topic is suited for another Township Department, the employee will forward or report the issue to the appropriate contact on behalf of the resident. When the topic is suited for another government partner, private business, or organization, where possible the resident will be given a contact telephone number, email address, or website where they can obtain further assistance.
  • Notwithstanding the above, if the question asked by a resident is within the remit of the United Counties of Prescott-Russell to respond (eg. County roads, etc), the Township employee will offer to pass their request along to the UCPR directly and will also offer the resident the option of contacting the appropriate UCPR department directly.

Residents Reporting an Issue

In this policy, reporting an issue includes:

  • a request for service (for example a pothole, missed waste collection, fallen tree, parking infraction, or other matter relating to municipal services),
  • a general inquiry, opinion or feedback, comment, or interest in a municipal program, service, or process, or
  • a suggestion or idea to improve services, programs, or processes.

Although reporting an issue is commonly referred to as a “complaint” in practice, it is considered distinct from a “formal complaint” (see below). Clients reporting an issue will get a response within the regular response times set out in this policy.

To report an issue:

  • use the “Report an Issue” feature on the Township of Russell website at www.russell.ca,
  • email the responsible department directly, or the general email at info@russell.ca;
  • call us at 613-443-3066, or
  • meet in person with the responsible department (scheduling an appointment is highly recommended).

Formal Complaints by Residents

A formal complaint is an official expression of dissatisfaction towards how the Township of Russell delivered/delivers a municipal program, service, or facility, where the client’s experience did not meet specific standards set out in a Township of Russell policy, procedure, or by-law. With formal complaints, whether stated explicitly or implicitly, a full response or resolution is expected by the resident.

View our Formal Complaints webpage.

Accessibility

All accessibility standards for client service and accessibility-related complaints about client service will follow the Township’s Accessibility Standards for Client Service Policy.

Training

To ensure a consistent and professional client service experience, the Township invests in training, development, and encouragement for all levels of employees within the Corporation of the Township of Russell.