Complaint vs. feedback: what counts?
The standard defines a complaint as an expression of dissatisfaction by any person or organization to a laboratory, relating to the activities or results of that laboratory, where a response is expected. A plain question about a report is not a complaint; a remark that a measured value is implausible can be one. Clause 8.6 separately requires collecting customer feedback, positive and negative. The two are often handled together in practice but are distinct in the standard.
Rule of thumb: anything that expresses dissatisfaction and expects an answer gets recorded. When in doubt, record and evaluate rather than treat it as an enquiry and lose it in a mailbox.
What clause 7.9 requires
| Subclause | Requirement |
|---|---|
| 7.9.1 | The laboratory has a documented process to receive and evaluate complaints and make decisions on them. |
| 7.9.2 | A description of the handling process is available to any interested party on request. On receipt the laboratory confirms whether the complaint relates to its laboratory activities and, if so, deals with it. |
| 7.9.3 | The laboratory is responsible for all decisions at all levels of the handling process. |
| 7.9.4 | Investigation and decision are made by persons not involved in the laboratory activities in question. |
| 7.9.5 | The process includes at least: a description of receipt, validation and investigation; tracking and recording, including actions; ensuring that appropriate action is taken. |
| 7.9.6 | The laboratory acknowledges receipt and provides the complainant with progress reports and the outcome. |
| 7.9.7 | The outcome is communicated to, or reviewed and approved by, persons not involved in the original activities. |
| 7.9.8 | Where possible, the laboratory gives formal notice of the end of complaint handling. |
A seven-step workflow
- 1
Record receipt
Give each complaint a number, date, sender, channel (email, phone, portal) and the core of the issue. Oral complaints are recorded as well.
- 2
Acknowledge
Tell the complainant in writing that the complaint arrived, who handles it and when to expect an answer.
- 3
Validate
Does it relate to the laboratory activities? If not, explain why. If yes, identify the order, report and people involved.
- 4
Investigate independently
Someone not involved in the testing reviews raw data, report, calibration status and conditions. Record findings and cause.
- 5
Decide and define actions
Correct the report, repeat the test, provide an explanation or reject the complaint as unfounded. For a real error also assess nonconforming work (7.10) and corrective action (8.7).
- 6
Communicate the outcome
Inform the complainant of result and actions, communicated or reviewed by an uninvolved person. For report changes under 7.8.8, identify the amended report clearly.
- 7
Close and evaluate
Close on time and feed the evaluation of all complaints into management review: number, themes, handling time, repeats.
Typical assessor findings
- No documented complaints process, or it is not available to customers.
- Complaints arrive by email but are not recorded centrally; no list, no numbers.
- Receipt is not acknowledged; progress and outcome are not communicated.
- The person who performed the test also investigates the complaint.
- Justified complaints trigger no corrective action and no review of other jobs.
- Complaint evaluation is missing from management review.
Tools and data sources
A register with number, status, owner and deadlines is enough. What matters is that the investigation gets to the raw data fast: which sample, which instrument, which measurement series, which version of the report?
TestLabIQ links orders, test items, measurement data, deviations, reports and an audit log of all changes, and in the customer portal clients see the status of their orders. That shortens the investigation. The application does not offer a dedicated complaints register with deadlines and escalation; a maintained table or your QMS covers that.