Living in an (Ombuds)man's world

For over a century, International Women’s Day, held on 8 March each year has marked a day of celebration and advocacy for women’s rights and equality around the world. To celebrate, Deputy Chief Ombudsman at the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman,? Judith Turner tells us about the ever changing Ombudsman landscape, how the Cost of Living Crisis in the UK is?affecting Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in the consumer services sector and what challenges she’s faced as a woman in her career.

What is an Ombudsman?

It’s a gender-neutral title for a person or independent body that investigates complaints in a fair and open way to try and reach a resolution without going to court. An Ombudsman is the job title of the individual who is charged with investigating and addressing disputes and helping both sides come to an agreement. It’s a term originating from Scandinavia, as Sweden became the first country to appoint an independent official known as an ombudsman to investigate complaints against government officials and agencies.

How does an Ombudsman scheme benefit businesses?

The Dispute Resolution Ombudsman (DRO) and Furniture & Home Improvement Ombudsman are both independent, not-for-profit, government approved voluntary Ombudsman schemes providing Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). We offer ADR training and advice to businesses and consumers, working to protect consumers’ rights and promote fair trade.

And consumers?

We provide alternative dispute resolution for unresolved disputes against businesses who subscribe our schemes. This means that consumers who purchase from one of those businesses that are registered with us have an alternative to going to court which is free for them to use and the resolution is binding on the business in question.

Registered Businesses can therefore provide their consumers with peace of mind that they have an independent route to recourse if things go wrong, which sometimes, despite a businesses’ best endeavours, they do.

What changes have you seen to the ADR landscape over the years?

I’ve definitely seen more emphasis placed on consumers having access to and knowledge of their rights. There seems to be a greater awareness of the channels which are at the public’s disposal should they require further redress to their complaints without going down the route of using the court system. There’s also been more of a shift in this technological era, in which consumers are logging their complaints online, as opposed to over the phone or via the post as they have done in the past.

It’s important that we adapt to our current and future users’ needs, staying ahead of technological advances whilst retaining accessible channels to ensure those without or with limited technical means do not become disenfranchised. If ADR is not accessible to and discoverable by all there is a risk that access to justice could be compromised.

How, do you think the Cost of Living Crisis will affect ADR?

When people invest in big-ticket projects such as buying furniture and making improvements to their homes, it is all the more important that they understand their rights and have a free and impartial route by which to enforce them.?

Some people may be looking beyond the aesthetic to make improvements that will reduce their overall costs, such as to energy bills. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 places a re-invigorated emphasis on information that traders provide and it is vital that consumers have access to the right information to enable them to make an informed choice.?

Other Consumer Protection mechanisms place the onus on a business to ensure that their pricing strategies and promotions are both targeted and advertised responsibly and in line with some pretty stringent rules.?Given the nature of the consumer protection legislation and the regulatory framework in place, a retailer must ensure that any promotions avoid misleading consumers so that when a consumer thinks that they are getting a bargain, they really are!

Business who register with the Ombudsman sign up to a Code of Practice that includes the requirement that they must?avoid any commercial practice that could be adverse to the consumer and the principles of fair trade in general which provides consumers with additional comfort that they can trust in value for money claims and that any dispute will be handled independently and at no cost to them.

What challenges have you experienced as a woman in business overall in your career?

I took an eight-year career break after having children to focus on raising my young family. My biggest challenge was starting up again from scratch, in a new environment which is a choice that many women still have to face. There’s always a certain amount of juggling to do when it comes to family and career, but with flexible working options, there are ways of getting round it. My first job back after returning to work was actually at the Ombudsman in 2011, and I’ve been here ever since!

What advice would you give any aspiring female business leaders reading this?

Always trust your gut.

Give yourself space to grow, because if you don’t allow this for yourself, you can’t help others.

Mentor people in the team – mentoring is what helped me establish my career at first, and I’m keen to pass this on.

Prioritisation is key for everyone, especially for someone returning to work after a break of any sort. Understand what’s important to you- find the balance between home life, work life and time doing things you enjoy, this point will be different for each individual and it will take time to establish the routine. For example, I sit on many committees and Chair the Ombudsman Association Policy Network. I am personally committed to adding whatever value I can to the ADR landscape, knowing how important a role we play in enabling individuals to access and exercise their rights and this is so vital that I make time for them, but I make sure that I also make the time to spend time with my family, my horses and to read to expand my own horizons…it’s all about finding that balance that works for you!