Customer Service Charter

The Town of Bassendean is committed to providing high quality customer service, delivering the best outcomes for our community with regard to the long term interests and needs of our community. The Town’s purpose includes to carry out the decisions of Council and to supply the goods and services necessary to sustain and respond to the specific local needs of our community. In doing this, the Town’s employees bring strong leadership, experience and knowledge and act with integrity, accountability and transparency.


This Customer Service Charter lets you know what you can expect from us, and what you can do if you believe these standards are not being met

Customer Service Standards

We understand the importance of customer service and are committed to delivering high quality customer service, through accurate, relevant and appropriate advice.

  1. Our employees will:
    • identify themselves.
    • be polite, helpful and courteous.
    • listen to you to understand your needs.
    • follow through on our commitments to you.
    • encourage, welcome and value your feedback.
  2.  Our actions will be:
    • open, fair and impartial.
    • responsive to your individual needs.
    • completed within a specified timeline.
  3.  Our information will be:
    • accessible within the legal frameworks which apply.
    • accurate, consistent and relevant.
    • collected lawfully and not misused.

Our Commitment

  1. Our Commitment to you means that we will be:
    • Courteous
    • Responsive
    • Professional
    • Discrete
  2.  We will demonstrate these principles when we:
    • answer telephone calls promptly.
    • respond to telephone messages within two business days.
    • respond to written requests within ten business days.
    • update you if there is a delay in providing information to you.
    • respond to complaints within 15 working days.

How You Can Help Us To Help You

  1. We consider that providing high quality customer service is supported by working together and in harmony with our community.
  2. The Town takes its responsibility for providing a work environment where
    employee safety and wellbeing is protected.
  3. You can help us meet our customer service commitments to you by:
    • treating our staff with courtesy and respect in all interactions.
    • recognise that the safety and wellbeing of our staff comes first and our staff
      may end a conversation if they feel unsafe or where it involves abusive
      language or aggressive behaviour.
    • keep us updated on changes to your contact details.
    • provide complete and accurate details when making a request or seeking
      information.
    • working with us to finalise solutions to problems or address issues.

Dealing with Unreasonable Conduct

  1. As a Local Government, we are committed to providing appropriate, lawful and equitable access to information and services to all members of the community.
  2. As an employer, we also have a lawful duty and obligation to provide a physically and psychologically safe workplace, free from violence, harassment or bullying behaviour towards staff.
  3. Certain circumstances or customer conduct therefore, may warrant restrictions on access to information or services, or require special measures outside of our usual policies and procedures.
  4. These circumstances and conduct may include where there is:
    • Aggressive, threatening or intimidatory behaviour.
    • Harassing, angry or rude behaviour.
    • Obsessive, querulous or habitual behaviour, for example where:
      • a customer will not ‘let go’ of an issue or complaint;
      • reasonable balance or perspective is not evident;
      • unreasonable demand is placed on staff or resources which diverts staff or resources away from other functions and work; or
      • despite our best efforts at providing assistance, the customer is not satisfied.
    •  We will always balance objectivity with understanding, and comply with relevant legislation, regulations or standards in our customer dealings.
    • However when circumstances like those described above arise, we may:
      • Not respond to or act upon requests.
      • Terminate conversations or telephone calls.
      • Limit access to services, staff or resources.
      • Appoint and advise of a single staff point of contact for all dealings.
        • Limit all dealings to writing.
        • Respond only to requests or correspondence which contain significant new information about an issue or which raise a new issue, which in our opinion requires a fresh approach or action.

Compliments, Suggestions or Complaints

  1. We are committed to providing a high quality of public service to the community.
  2. We are committed to continuous improvement and encourage you to compliment us when we do well.
  3. We also want to understand how we can improve the way we provide services to the community.
  4. If you would like to provide a compliment, suggestion or complaint about the services we provide please complete the online form available on the Town’s website.

When We Receive a Complaint

  1. To help us to respond to complaints, we prefer that you submit them in writing using the online form available on the Town’s website.
  2. When receiving a complaint, we will:
    • acknowledge receipt within the timelines indicated above.
    • maintain confidentiality and discuss your complaint only with the employees directly involved.
    • consider the information you have provided carefully.
    • treat your complaint with fairness and respect.
    • keep you informed about the progress of your complaint.
    • explain to you the reasons for the decisions reached about your complaint.
    • advise you of the outcome, and any actions we have taken, to improve our services as a result of your complaint

What to Include in Your Complaint

  1. When making a complaint please include the following details:
    • your name, address and contact details.
    • the date, time and location that the issue or concern occurred.
    • the name of the employee or the issue you are complaining about.
    • what you think was the cause of the situation or issue.
    • how you were affected by the matter that you are complaining about.
    • what steps you have taken to resolve the matter.
    • what outcome you would like to achieve

Freedom of Information

  1. The Town complies with its obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 1992 and our Freedom of Information (FOI) Officer is able to provide you advice about FOI matters.
  2. For more information about FOI, please visit the FOI site on the Town’s website.

Access and Inclusion

  1. The Town is committed to ensuring people with disability, their carers, friends and families are welcome and included by ensuring equitable access to services, buildings and other facilities, information, the level and quality of services, complaints handling and employment.
  2. You can review the Town’s Access and Inclusion Plan on the Town’s website.

How to Contact Us

In person: 35 Old Perth Road Bassendean
By email: mail@bassendean.wa.gov.au
By mail: PO Box 35 Bassendean WA 6934
By phone: (08) 9377 8000