It has been said that the true success of an organization can be measured by the way it handles its customers and their concerns. With that credo in mind, the Fair Practices Office (FPO) is continuously examining the impact of Manitoba Public Insurance policies, procedures and legislation on customers. The FPO takes the material under review and makes a constructive determination on whether improvements can or should be made. It is this focus on rigorous and continuous scrutinizing that helps keep this organization at the forefront of the insurance industry and in the vanguard of excellence in customer service. The FPO was established in late 1999 and completed its fourth full year of operation in 2003. Reporting directly to the President and Chief Executive Officer, the office monitors the organization’s procedures and their effect on our customers, and reports back to the corporation on our customers’ changing needs and expectations. Part of the office’s examination process involves investigating all formal Manitoba Public Insurance customer concerns presented to the provincial Ombudsman. The office also receives input from customers who do not use this formal mechanism and from Manitoba Public Insurance staff about issues that affect their roles and customer service. A focus of the FPO is to resolve as many outstanding issues as possible in a relatively informal way. |
For the fiscal year 2003/2004, the FPO received 443 documented customer inquiries broken down by their referral source as follows:
It recommended the corporation revise its decision in 26 situations, or about six per cent of the cases it reviewed. In 94 per cent of the situations that were examined (417 of 443), the FPO’s findings supported the original decision. While the office promotes fair process, it is not a formal avenue of appeal. It can recommend that an issue be reviewed and can also alert the corporation’s Executive that a policy may be unfair. Individual customers who bring their concerns to the office can be assured they will receive assistance in determining the best “next step” for their particular issue. After examining customer issues from a number of perspectives, the FPO reports its observations directly to the President and Chief Executive Officer. Depending upon the nature of the issue, some of these observations will result in a comprehensive examination of the policy or process. Direct access to the highest level provides a unique opportunity for the office to bring systemic customer issues to the attention of the corporation’s highest decision-makers, thus ensuring a thorough examination of these issues. |
An important focus of the FPO is to ensure that Manitoba Public Insurance continues to offer comprehensive auto insurance and superior coverage—in keeping with the corporate goals and mission. In order to fulfil this commitment, the office continues to benchmark our insurance products, coverages and benefits against the industry standards. The FPO remains committed to reviewing systemic issues that customers believe may be unfair and to ensuring that these issues receive meticulous examination. The office will continue to put Manitoba Public Insurance customers first by working to refine policies, procedures and legislation to better reflect their needs and expectations. Fair Practices Office
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