This policy is applicable for complaints from: Audiences, visitors, participants, donors, funders, contractors and suppliers. Staff members, contracted freelancers and creatives who wish to make a complaint should follow the procedures detailed in the Staff Handbook.

Legislation and other relevant policies and documents

Internal: Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Policy, Respect Charter, Anti-Racism and Anti-Blackness Policies, Safeguarding Policy, Customer Feedback & Complaints Procedure.

External: Charities Commission Code of Conduct, Equalities Act 2010, General Data Protection Regulation 2016 (GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018.

Introduction

This Complaints Policy explains how to make a complaint to and the procedure that will be followed by Bristol Old Vic & Theatre Royal Trust (“BOV”, “we” or “us”), King Street, Bristol BS1 4ED.

Though we take care to provide all our services to a high standard we recognise that complaints may be made. We accept complaints in good faith and will use them as an opportunity to learn and improve what we do and how we do it, alongside the chance to put things right for the complainant.

Policy

We will provide a fair complaints procedure that is clear and easy to use for anyone wishing to make a complaint
We will publish our complaints procedure online and make it clear how people can make a complaint
We will make sure the internal procedure for handling complaints is understood by our staff
We’ll investigate all complaints fairly and in a timely way
We’ll work to resolve complaints wherever possible
We’ll gather information and share it with our staff to help us to continually improve what we do.

Definition of a complaint

A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction made by a service user in their capacity as an individual citizen or as a representative of another company.

Complaints can be received via email directly to a staff member, to a shared email inbox, via a webform that is received to a shared inbox, via letter, by telephone or in person. Verified service users who complain via social media will be asked to send their complaint via a communication method above.

We’ll investigate complaints made in this way and will respond in writing (or verbally where required) to each one received.

Exceptions: General feedback made on social media won’t always be responded to. Complaints made via surveys are noted but cannot be responded to directly as they are completed by our customers anonymously.

Who can complain

Anyone who engages with BOV and makes use of our services. This includes audiences, participants, general visitors, donors, funders, contractors.

Exceptions: Staff or contracted workers. Please follow the procedures set out in the Staff Handbook instead.

Confidentiality

All complaint information will be handled sensitively in line with the Data Protection Act 2018. Though some complaints are received to shared email inboxes, only those directly involved in investigating and resolving a complaint will handle confidential information in line with GDPR regulations.

How to complain

Our aim is deal with any complaint as soon as practically possible.

Many complaints can be resolved informally, and often at the time a situation arises. If you are on site and feel able to do so, please raise your complaint with a member of our staff or with the Duty Manager who will seek to resolve a complaint directly.

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, or do not wish an informal solution, you may pursue a formal complaint. Formal complaints should be sent in writing via:

Letter: Guest Services Manager, Bristol Old Vic, King Street, Bristol BS1 4ED

Email: tickets@bristololdvic.org.uk (shared email inbox)

Webform: Complete this form which sends an email to the shared email inbox above.

Formal complaint content

When you make a formal complaint, please include the following information:

The date, time and location of any incident if applicable
A description of what happened and / or your complaint
If appropriate include any staff names / your booking reference number, and any relevant documents
How you’d like us to resolve the complaint

Please provide your full name, email address and contact phone number. Unless you tell us otherwise, we will assume you preferred method of contact is the same as the one you used to tell us about your complaint.

What happens next?

All formal complaints will be dealt with in the first instance by our Guest Services Manager who will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 5 working days.
You may be contacted by them (or a staff member they deem is best placed to respond) to gather any additional information from you that will help us resolve the complaint.
You will receive a response to your complaint within 20 working days of its receipt. Any extension of this time limit requires your consent.
If your complaint alleges that a criminal offence has taken place, then the police will be informed, and the procedures and processes will take precedence.
If, as a result of your complaint, disciplinary proceedings are taken against a member of staff or a contracted worker, an internal procedure will apply. You will be informed that disciplinary proceedings have taken place, but not the outcome as those proceedings are confidential.

Escalating your formal complaint

If you are dissatisfied with the response you received from us to your formal complaint, you can escalate it to Bristol Old Vic’s Executive Team via:

Letter: Executive Office, Bristol Old Vic, King Street, Bristol BS1 4ED Email: executive@bristololdvic.org.uk

The Executives’ Office will acknowledge receipt of your communication within 5 working days. They will review your complaint and our response and will determine if further action is required by Bristol Old Vic. You will receive a final response within 20 working days of receipt.

Taking your complaint elsewhere

Though we encourage you to contact us directly to resolve your complaint in the first instance, you can contact the Charities Commission and make a complaint at any point. Details of how to make a complaint to them can be found here.

If we are unable to settle any dispute regarding purchased tickets by negotiation and you are not satisfied with our final response, you may attempt to settle it through Alternative Dispute Resolution and can contact The Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR). We are members of STAR and they provide a free and approved dispute resolution service for customers of STAR members. Disputes can be registered via an online form on STAR’s website.

Do you need any specific requirements to enable you to make a complaint?

Please let us know if you would like to view this policy in an alternative format.

Monitoring complaints

A log of complaints received is monitored and reviewed by the Leadership Team on an ongoing basis.