Ms Elaine Cassidy:

We give the complainants a choice. When we set up the service at first, we thought there would be more demand for face-to-face mediation. Our staff are mainly qualified mediators and they are very comfortable with setting up face-to-face mediation. We found that complainants preferred phone mediation primarily. They liked the opportunity to think about things between the calls and to take their time and consider the matter carefully. It is primarily phone-based mediation. We do exchange a certain amount of documentation via e-mail. The level of communication with the complainant would depend on the complexity of the issue. Some things like permanent health insurance, for example, can go on for months, but some small accounts matters can be dealt with very quickly. The mediator would contact both parties and put the consumer side to the financial institution and explain to it the impact it has had on the consumer. The mediator would tease out with the bank whether it had followed the correct process and considered the consumer codes and would discuss what rectification the bank is prepared to put to the consumer.