Check complaint response letters before they go out (US)

Fields

• The complaint as logged, point by point
• Draft response letter

Questions

1. What kind of complaint letter is this draft? Choice

   Use the letter types described in the context. Judge from what the letter does, not from its heading.

   • Final response Gives the bank's decision on the complaint: finds for the customer, against them, or partly for them.
   • Holding letter Says the bank cannot give its decision yet, explains why, and says when it expects to.
   • Acknowledgement or update Confirms the complaint was received, or gives progress, and gives no decision and no date for one.

2. What outcome does the letter give the customer? Choice

   Read the letter as the customer would. Pick the outcome a customer would take from it.

   • In the customer's favor The bank agrees with the complaint in full.
   • Partly in the customer's favor The bank agrees with some points and rejects others.
   • Not in the customer's favor The bank rejects the complaint, even if it offers a goodwill payment without agreeing.
   • Outcome unclear The letter reads as a decision, but a customer could not tell whether the complaint is accepted or rejected.
   • No outcome yet The letter says the bank has not reached a decision.

3. Does the letter leave any point in the complaint summary unanswered? Yes / No

   Take each point in the complaint summary in turn. A point is answered when the letter gives a finding on it or says what will be done about it. A general apology, or "we have reviewed your account", does not answer a point. Yes: At least one point in the summary gets no finding and no action in the letter. No: Every point in the summary gets a finding or an action.

4. Does the letter give reasons for its outcome that are specific to this complaint? Yes / No

   Our standard: reasons refer to what happened to this customer, not only to our procedures. Yes: The letter explains why it reached its outcome, with reference to the facts of this complaint. No: The letter states an outcome with no reasons, or only generic lines such as "in line with our procedures", or gives no outcome.

5. What does the letter say the bank will pay or do to put things right? Choice

   Judge only what the letter itself says, not whether the amount is right.

   • Specific redress Says what will be paid, refunded, corrected or done, and when or how.
   • Vague redress Says things will be put right without saying what, how much or when.
   • Apology only Apologizes but offers no payment and no action.
   • No redress Offers no apology, payment or action.

6. Where the letter finds that an error the customer asserted did not occur, does it tell the customer they can request the documents the bank relied on? Choice

   Use the error resolution rules in the context. An error finding covers an electronic transfer, a debit card or ATM transaction, a credit card bill or a mortgage account. Count a finding that no error occurred, or that a different error occurred, in whole or in part.

   • Right to documents stated The letter finds an asserted error did not occur, in whole or in part, and says the customer may ask for the documents or evidence the bank relied on.
   • Right to documents missing The letter finds an asserted error did not occur, in whole or in part, and does not say the customer may ask for those documents.
   • No finding against an error claim The complaint asserts no error on an account, or the letter finds every asserted error in the customer's favor, or gives no decision yet.

7. Does the letter tell the customer they can take the complaint to the body named in the context, with its website address? Yes / No

   Answer for the letter as written, whatever its type. The context gives the required sentence; any clear wording with the same meaning counts. Yes: The letter says the customer may take the complaint to the body the context names, and gives its website address. No: The body or its website address is missing, or only a different body is named.

8. Does the letter make a payment or credit depend on the customer releasing claims, withdrawing a complaint or keeping the matter confidential? Yes / No

   Our rule: no payment in a standard letter depends on the customer giving anything up. Count wording such as "in full and final settlement", "by accepting this credit you agree to release", "on condition that you withdraw your complaint" or "you agree to keep this confidential". Yes: The letter ties a payment or credit to a release, a withdrawal or confidentiality. No: Any payment or credit in the letter is unconditional, or the letter offers none.

9. Does the letter give the customer a named contact and a direct phone number for questions about this complaint? Yes / No

   Our standard: every letter names a person the customer can reach about this complaint and gives a direct number or extension. A general customer service number alone does not count. Yes: The letter names a contact and gives a direct phone number or extension. No: The name or the direct number is missing.

10. How easy is the letter for the customer to follow? Scale

    Judge the letter as a customer with no banking knowledge would read it.

    • Clear Short sentences, terms explained, no internal names or codes.
    • Some jargon Mostly clear, with a few unexplained terms, internal names or long passages.
    • Hard to follow Legal or internal wording throughout, or a structure the customer could not follow.

Lens columns

letter_type, letter_type_probability, outcome, outcome_probability, points_unanswered, points_unanswered_probability, reasons_given, reasons_given_probability, redress, redress_probability, documents_right, documents_right_probability, referral_right, referral_right_probability, release_condition, release_condition_probability, contact_named, contact_named_probability, plain_language, plain_language_average