Claim handling procedure

– Export Customer – a procedural outline

  1. Complaint to the carrier (forwarder) – damaged shipment in delivery / damaged goods in delivery / missing product in delivery.

A complaint is reported to REGIS staff through a Sales Representative / if the customer wishes to report it directly – then it should be sent out to the following e-mail address: customerservice@activlab.eu

  • Claims submitted through a Sales Representative are to be directed to Mr Piotr Pruchnicki, Mr Piotr Sikora, ACTIVLAB Warehouse to be copied to the Sales Support Office (Ms Lucyna Budek and the person directly in charge of handling the orders, i.e. Ms Maria Pawlak or Ms Olesia Suska) and the Controlling Officers (Mr Andrzej Wilk, Ms Monika Niemczyk).

Procedure to be followed:

  • In order to have a complaint processed, a complaint protocol must be drawn up in the presence of a carrier/employee of a forwarding company.

  • No complaints regarding damaged goods in delivery shall be processed without a drawn-up complaint protocol.

  • Applies to any shipments implemented in line with INCOTERMS DAP, FCA (to an intermediate handling location), FOB (to the port). Not applicable to EXW.

  • The Recipient is bound to have the delivery assessed before its formal receipt from the carrier/courier/forwarding company staff.

  • Upon delivery, the Customer shall IMMEDIATELY check the shipped goods for completeness, in the presence of a carrier’s representative.

  • In the event of any damage sustained by the delivered goods (external damage, wrapping foil torn-up, etc.), the Customer is expected to check the contents of the shipment in terms of quantity, in the presence of a carrier’s representative.

  • Any tell-tale signs of damage should be reported by the Customer to the delivering person. The Customer should then ask for a complaint form in order to make comments on a deficient delivery (upon non-availability of a standard complaint form, the Customer may put his comments either on the CMR, or on a bill of lading).

  1. In the event of an incomplete delivery (damaged goods, missing products in the shipment) – individual arrangements are to be made with the Customer. Usually, this comes down to offering an equivalent within the same range of goods, or alternative goods. Amended invoices are not issued, nor are the defective shipments sent back to the manufacturer (high transport costs, complex customs procedural constraints). The Customer is to receive a range of pre-determined (negotiated) gratuities in the following shipment by way of a compensation.
  2. In the event when the shipment is complete, i.e. undamaged pallets, the duties of the courier / supplier come to an end (as the carrier is not in any way liable for the contents of the shipment), while the rest is based on mutual trust, i.e.  warehouse staff in charge has shipped out the goods correctly, while the Customer has not tried to deceive us.

Quantitative complaint

A complaint is reported to REGIS staff through a Sales Representative / if the customer wishes to report it directly – then it should be sent out to the following e-mail address: customerservice@activlab.eu to be copied to the Sales Support Office (Ms Lucyna Budek and the person directly in charge of handling the orders, i.e. Ms Maria Pawlak or Ms Olesia Suska) and the Controlling Officers (Mr Andrzej Wilk, Ms Monika Niemczyk).

  • The Customer is granted 7 days, as of the date of receipt of the goods, to report any discrepancies in quantity of the shipment. No claims shall be processed beyond this date.

  • BWS clarifies the complaint at issue with the Warehouse facility staff.

  • BWS passes on the result of the said clarification to a Sales Representative, or directly to the Customer, depending on the individual arrangements in place.

  • Each case is considered on an individual basis, with a view to maintaining a good business relationship with the Customer.

Quality claim (Quality defect in a product)

A complaint is reported to REGIS staff through a Sales Representative / if the customer wishes to report it directly – then it should be sent out to the following e-mail address: customerservice@activlab.eu to be copied to the Sales Support Office (Ms Lucyna Budek and the person directly in charge of handling the orders, i.e. Ms Maria Pawlak or Ms Olesia Suska) and the Controlling Officers (Mr Andrzej Wilk, Ms Monika Niemczyk).

  • A complaint regarding a product quality defect (caked powder, etc.) shall be considered on the basis of pertinent information furnished by the Customer, comprising an exact trade name of the product, expiry date and batch number (these data are usually found on the packaging right next to the barcode). The Customer is expected to furnish a series of photos showing the quality defect at issue.

  • The Sales Support Office clarifies the merits of the complaint with the Quality Control Unit, and duly passes all pertinent information/material evidence to it, with a view to having a deficient product effectively compared with the mandatory  manufacturing samples in a laboratory storage.

  • The Sales Support Office sends out the official position on the Customer’s claim, as  furnished by the Quality Control Unit, to the Sales Representative:

    1. If a complaint is justified – individual arrangements with the Customer are to be made. Usually, this comes down to offering an equivalent within the same range of goods, or alternative goods. Amended invoices are not issued, nor are the defective shipments sent back to the manufacturer (for the same reason as further above). The Customer is to receive the pre-determined (negotiated) gratuities in the following shipment by way of a compensation.
    2. If a complaint is groundless, it shall not be upheld. Quality Control Unit officially confirms that the product at issue meets all applicable standards, i.e. a complaint is rejected.