Introduction
Serving customer needs satisfactorily is a top corporate priority for APAC Financial Services Private Limited (“APAC” or the “Company”). An important component of this priority is designing an efficient mechanism to address customer queries and issues. With this objective, APAC has developed this Grievance Redressal Policy (“Policy”) to develop such a mechanism for the Company’s customers. The key guiding principles of the Company’s Policy are:
- Customers should be treated fairly at all times
- Complaints should be dealt with efficiently and within a reasonable time frame.
- Complaints raised by customers should be dealt with courteously and with the utmost respect.
- APAC ’s employees should always work in good faith and without prejudice to the interests of the Company’s customers.
This Policy is based on the premise that every customer has the right to register a complaint if he or she is not satisfied with the services provided by the Company or any other agencies associated with the Company. Customers can give their complaint in writing or via e-mail. The Company will review and address the grievance in accordance with this Policy and in case the customer is not satisfied with the proposed action, the customer may use other avenues for grievance redressal.
Applicability Of The Policy
This Policy applies to all customers of the Company. Furthermore, the Policy will also extend to cover employees and other stakeholders of APAC.
Process To Handle Customer Complaints/Grievances
All disputes / complaints arising out of the decisions of the Company’s functionaries would be heard and disposed of at least at the next higher level after it is brought to their notice. Therefore, the following 'Grievances Redressal Mechanism' is put in place.
Step 1: Branch / Place where Business is transacted Level Review
A customer should either make a written complaint addressed to the relevant Branch Manager (contact details for the Company’s branches/ places where business is transacted are on the Company’s website), call the Company at [91 22 447781138] during office hours (9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.), or email the Company at contact us at complaint.apac@apacfin.com / contactus@apacfin.com with:
- Loan account number.
- Brief summary of complaint
- Complete contact address location of branch phone number of the complainant.
The Branch / places where business is transacted will strive to provide an initial response to the customer’s complaint within 7 days of the complaint being lodged.
Step 2: Grievance Redressal Officer Review
In case the customer is not satisfied with the response received at Step 1, i.e. the Branch, he /she can escalate the complaint to APAC ’s Grievance Redressal Officer, whom the Company has appointed for the implementation of customer service and complaint handling. The Grievance Redressal Officer’s complete contact details are given on the following page:
- Ms. Shraddha Dighe
- Address (Office): Office No 501, 05th Floor,
- Soth Annexe Tower 2B, One World Center,
- Lower Parel(W),
- Mumbai - 400013
- Email: shraddha.dighe@apacfin.com
- Landline: (91) 22 4778 1138
The Grievance Redressal Officer can be contacted during office hours (9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.) on any of the working days of the Company. Once the complaint is escalated, the complaint will receive a response within 7 working days of it reaching the Grievance Redressal Officer.
Step 3: Joint Chief Executive Officer Review
In case the customer is still not satisfied with the response or has not received a response from the Company within 15 days from the date of his/her initial complaint, he/she may contact the Company’s Joint Chief Executive Officer at the email id ceo.apacnbfc@apacfin.com or phone number (0)22 - 47781138 during office hours (9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.)
Branch Requirements
The Company will ensure the following is in place at all of its physical locations:
- Appropriate communication mechanism for receiving complaints and suggestions.
- Display of the name, address and contact number of the Grievance Redressal Officer. This shall also be available on the Company’s website.
Registration Of Complaints And Time Frame
To register complaints, customers should follow the steps mentioned above. Once the complaint has been received in writing, the company will send an initial response within 7 days. After the matter is reviewed a final response will be sent to the customer within a period of two (2) weeks and within a maximum period of four (4) weeks of receipt of such compliant/ grievance. If more information is required by the Company to resolve the complaint, the Company will appropriately inform the complainant. Once the additional information is received, the final response will be issued within 7 days of such receipt.
If the complainant is not happy with the resolution of the complaint, the complainant can escalate the matter to the Grievance Redressal Officer at the coordinates given in section 3 above. The Grievance Redressal Officer will seek to respond to the complaint within 7 days of the complaint being escalated to him / her.
Interaction With Customers
The Company, through various questionnaires / meetings / surveys, obtains customer feedback /suggestions for improvement in customer service. All suggestions given by the customers are duly examined and those that the Company finds acceptable are implemented.
Sensitizing Operating Staff On Handling Complaints
All the staff of the Company shall be adequately educated on our Grievance Redressal Policy.
Escalation Of Complaint To Reserve Bank Of India
In case the complainant does not receive a response from the Company within reasonable time or if a customer is dissatisfied with the response received at all levels, the complainant may approach the Reserve Bank of India at the following address:
If the complaint does not receive a response from the Company within a period of 1 month or if a customer is dissatisfied with the response received at all levels, the complainant may approach the Reserve Bank of India at the following address:
- The General Manager,
- Reserve Bank of India,
- DNBS, Mumbai Regional Office,
- RBI Building,
- 3rd Floor, Opp. Mumbai Central Railway Station,
- Mumbai-400 008.
- Tel: - 022 2308 4121 / 2302 8436
- Email id- helpdnbs@rbi.org.in
The complaint can also be e-mailed to helpdnbs@rbi.org.in with a copy to APAC's Joint Chief Executive Officer at ceo.apacnbfc@apacfin.com .
10. The Board of the Company have power to effect any changes, amendments or modifications, if any, in the Grievance Redressal Policy at periodic intervals.