In the first part of this series of tips from NAIS to retailers on consumer complaints, we clarified the need for a well-described complaint procedure on your website.

In the second part, we continued with explaining the necessity the company to diversify the complaints filing channels for their customers.

In the third, we emphasized the need to negotiate directly with the complainants in order to seek a solution to the dispute with them.

Now we will clarify which are the ADR bodies in Bulgaria, so that you are ready to turn to them in case of escalation of the dispute over a complaint with your client.

Tip 4: Choose your ADR bodies to partner with

The bodies that carry out the procedure for consumer ADR are the conciliation commissions of the CPC and the ADR ADR Center.

Conciliation commissions of the CPC

These commissions are general and sectoral. The general commissions cover all sectors of the economy, incl. tourism. The sectoral commissions are in the field of electricity, water supply and sewerage services, electronic communications and postal services, road transport, railways. transport, etc. In these committees, the end result of the dispute is a recommendation for a decision. It is not binding on both parties, each of them has the right not to accept it. You can read more about the conciliation commissions of the CPC on the website of the Consumer Protection Commission kzp.bg.

NAIS ADR Center

Currently, this is the only alternative to the conciliation commissions of the CPC and the only body that deals with consumer disputes exclusively and only online. This is done through the NAIS Center's own online platform - nais.bg, and through the EU's ODS online platform - https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/

The negotiations are supported by a third, specially trained, independent and impartial mediator. He/she aims not to make decisions in the dispute, but to encourage the parties to propose them, to unite the disputants around their common interests and to help control their emotions. The mediator is obliged to maintain the confidentiality of the information shared with him.

The ADR procedure has many advantages over seeking redress through the courts.

ADR saves costs, it is fast and efficient, takes no more than 90 days, protects the company from reputational damage and is cheaper than any CPC fine or court proceedings, and is even free for complainants.

Follow the next publications from this series, dedicated to the best practices in dealing with complaints, from the section "Trade Leaders' Guide" on the NEWS page of nais.bg, as well as in the profiles of NAIS on LinkedIn and Facebook. In the next publication we will look at the problems related to technical systems, process management and the delegation of rights and responsibilities, or in short, problems related to the internal organization.