Complaints and Suggestions

The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority is committed to providing the best services to its clients in the entrepreneurship sector in the Sultanate of Oman. The authority receives several proposals and studies them, and researches the possibility of their application. The Authority is also committed to ensuring that it receives and addresses complaints received from all entrepreneurs, suppliers, and partners to ensure that they are resolved and not repeated. The Authority believes in involving the beneficiaries to help improve the services provided to them. Dealing with complaints and suggestions submitted through the system with complete confidentiality and professionalism is to ensure the improvement and development of work and services provided.

This policy aims to establish a general framework to organize and improve the Authority’s complaints management system and escalation mechanism by providing an effective means to receive and process complaints and suggestions submitted by all beneficiaries of the Authority’s services. Furthermore, it seeks to improve the level of services by:

• Strengthening the principles of transparency, integrity and accountability in the Authority.
• Improving the quality of services by following up and analyzing complaints.
• Ensuring that there is a clear strategy for dealing with all target groups.
• Enhancing the Authority’s performance in order to raise the level of services provided.
• Meeting the aspirations of beneficiaries.

This policy applies to the complaints and suggestions platform for the Authority of SME Development and the strategy used for dealing with complaints and suggestions related to the Authority's services. 

The Authority provides an easy and accessible process for following up and meeting the needs of beneficiaries and submitted complaints. The Authority provides a digital system for submitting complaints and proposals. Beneficiaries must provide the necessary information and a comprehensive description of the complaint or proposal and use the forms and templates according to the type of request. Complaints and suggestions are received 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via the dedicated electronic system.

The Authority’s complaints and suggestions platform is managed by the Customer Services Department to ensure that complaints are responded to for a period not exceeding (48) hours. The complaint or suggestion is either directly treated or is transferred to the relevant administrative division. The case is then followed up with the aim of enhancing customer satisfaction with the Authority's services.

If the case requires special attention, the case will be escalated to senior management.

This policy is reviewed and evaluated regularly to ensure its effectiveness and suitability.

Communication channels are available with beneficiaries in order to obtain feedback on the policy and improve it.

1. The applicant requests a complaint or suggestion via the complaints and suggestions platform on the Authority’s website.
2. After entering the (OTP), the applicant can choose the options from the drop list (complaint or suggestion) and fill out the designated form.
3. The system transfers the request to the Director of the Customer Services Department and sends an SMS to the applicant with the reference number on the application. 
4. The department head views the application.
5. The Customer Services Department refers the request to the relevant department via the system within one business day of receiving the request.
6. The request is studied by the concerned department and the Customer Services Department will respond within one working day.
7. The case will be closed by the concerned department and appropriate action will be taken. 
8. The applicant receives a response from the Customer Services Department via the system (a notification about their request will be sent to their file on the website)

The complaint is escalated to the higher administrative office if closing the complaint requires taking a decision outside the capabilities of the relevant administrative divisions at the Authority. 

Ensuring communication with the applicant within (48) hours, and this is done according to the following procedures:

1. After submitting the complaint through the complaints and suggestions platform on the Authority’s website, the Customer Services Department escalates the complaint to senior management if it exceeds 48 hours and the subject of closure requires approval from senior management so that the beneficiary is contacted and informed of the proposed solution within 24 hours. 
2. The complaint will be considered and processed according to what is approved by the head of the unit, and the beneficiary will be informed of updates.