Updated January 2025
Our Commitment to Service Excellence and Staff Safety
We strive to provide outstanding customer service to all our residents, leaseholders, and clients. Managing people’s homes involves working with customers who have deep emotional investments in our services, which can sometimes lead to challenging interactions. While we have systems in place to handle difficult conversations and resolve issues effectively, we must also establish clear boundaries around acceptable behaviour.
Understanding and Addressing Unacceptable Conduct
We recognise that customers may communicate forcefully or with determination when addressing their concerns. However, we distinguish between passionate advocacy and behaviour that creates unreasonable demands or causes distress to our staff. Before taking any action regarding unacceptable behaviour, we will, when possible, give individuals the opportunity to modify their conduct.
All incidents involving unacceptable behaviour will be thoroughly documented in our central register, including any actions taken in response. For quality and training purposes, we may record phone calls after providing clear notice.
What Constitutes Unacceptable Behaviour?
We consider the following actions unacceptable:
Excessive Persistence
- Repeated calls about previously addressed issues
- Sending excessive, repetitive, or irrelevant communications
- Assessment of persistence is based on frequency and pattern over 3, 6, and 12-month periods
Disrespectful Communication
- Use of profanity or abusive language
- Persistent interruption
- Derogatory name-calling
- General discourtesy
- Abusive or defamatory comments made via social media, online reviews, or other digital platforms
Aggressive Conduct
- Raised voices or shouting
- Threats to persons or property
- Physical aggression or imminent threats of violence
Discriminatory Behaviour
- Discriminatory comments based on protected characteristics including gender, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, race, ethnicity, religion, age, or nationality
- Personal attacks or inflammatory remarks directed at staff
Response Procedures
We always aim to respond to our customers in a polite and timely manner. In instances where we are faced with unacceptable behaviour, we may implement the following measures:
1. Call Management
- Staff will request a change in behaviour
- Issue a warning if the behaviour persists
- Terminate the call if necessary, with documentation and senior management notification
2. Contact Restrictions
- Limiting communication methods (e.g., written correspondence only)
- Establishing specific contact times or days
- Designating specific staff members for contact
3. Service Discontinuation
- In extreme cases, we may cease direct contact
- Such decisions require senior management approval
4. Legal Action
- Serious threats against staff or property will be reported to relevant authorities
Staff Support & Well-Being
We recognise that dealing with unacceptable behaviour can have an impact on staff. To support our team, we provide:
- Internal debriefing and guidance for staff affected by abuse or threats
- Access to escalation procedures for additional protection
This policy reflects our commitment to both exceptional service and staff well-being. Through these guidelines, we maintain a safe and productive working environment while continuing to serve our customers effectively.
NRM Management Team
