The Business Banking Resolution Service (BBRS) has successfully obtained Complaint Handler membership of the Ombudsman Association (OA).
The BBRS is a not-for-profit, free, dispute resolution service for SMEs who have claims against their banks. Its membership of the OA was awarded following a review of the service covering areas such as independence, accessibility, openness, transparency and efficiency. A submission on these areas was supported by evidence of the robust policies, processes and procedures of the BBRS.
Mark Grimshaw, Chief Executive of the BBRS commented, “I’m very pleased that our independence and best practice approach has been recognised with membership of the OA. Our membership will help us to maintain the highest standards.”
Membership of the OA gives the BBRS access to forums and networks covering areas such as operations, legal, quality and policy. BBRS leadership and their teams will be able to engage and network with other ombudsman schemes and complaint handling organisations, with the opportunity to discuss common challenges and experiences.
Donal Galligan, Chief Executive of the OA, said, “We’re delighted that the BBRS meets our Complaint Handler Member criteria and has joined the OA. In sharing experiences, ombudsman schemes and complaint handlers can shape and adopt best practice from across the sector, helping to drive improvements in the delivery of services and complaint handling.”
The BBRS recently appealed directly to North West-based businesses, including those in Manchester, to see if their unresolved banking disputes can be tackled. It is estimated that nearly 600,000 UK SMEs could qualify for the BBRS’ independent, free specialist dispute resolution services – including more than 57,000 based in North West England – which covers current and past complaints, dating back to 2001.
