Customer Charter
Macra na Feirme: Customer Service Charter:
Macra na Feirme’s Customer Service Charter is a statement describing the level of service which our customers can expect from us. Our Charter focuses on providing service excellence and on developing and fostering positive relationships. We pledge to be customer focused, accountable, professional and will endeavour to be responsive to the needs of all stakeholders and to deliver services to a consistently high standard.
Who are our customers?
Macra na Feirme has a number of Internal and external customers who include:
• Members
• Associates
• Sponsors
• Staff
• Suppliers
• Government Departments
• Other youth and agricultural organisations
• Rural young people
• Funding organisations
How we deliver our Services
The services of Macra na Feirme are delivered by a team of staff who provide guidance and support to members in formulating and implementing plans, administering programmes, managing membership and ensuring compliance.
Macra na Feirme delivers services to external and internal customers by:
• The recruitment of members
• The organization of competitions, events, and travel opportunities
• The support of our members, national, county, club officers and committee members by our presence at meetings, by phone and email support
• By providing a Membership Benefits package.
• Lobbying and advocacy work for young farmers and rural youth.
• The management and delivery of the services of Macra Agricultural Skillnet.
• The delivery of training and development opportunities
• Delivery of the Land Mobility Service
How do our customers access our services?
Access to our services is available in a variety of ways, including the following, where we outline the standard of service customers can expect
Becoming a member by:
• Joining online: An immediate email receipt will acknowledge payment and direct members to members benefits and will inform them that their membership number will be with them within 5 to 7 working days and a membership card normally within 30 days.
• Joining at a national event such as the Ploughing Championships
• By booking a Macra Agricultural Skillnet Training Course. customers will be eligible for membership by payment of the non-member rate of €25 and can expect to receive their membership number normally within 30 days.
New members details will be forwarded to the Macra na Feirme regional Training and Development Officers and Club Secretaries, who will ensure that the relevant club contacts the new member within ten days.
Communication
Communication with our customers is vital in our organisation and we strive to ensure all our customers can communicate easily with the organisation by:
• Phone or email. If the query or enquiry cannot be dealt with by available staff this will be communicated to the customer who can then expect a response from the appropriate staff as soon as possible.
• Face-to-face at events such as agricultural shows and monthly meetings. where customers can speak to members, volunteers and staff of the organisation
• Regional Training and Development Officers are available across the country by phone, email and at meetings
Information
We pledge to maintain accurate and up to date information on the organisation through the following channels:
• Our website provides information on the services of our organisation, how to join and contact details for our staff. It contains news and resources for our volunteer leaders. The Macra Agricultural Skillnet news, bookings and information is available on those pages. Information about competitions and travel opportunities is also available on the website. Our website informs our customers and stakeholders about our statutory polices and compliance with legislation
• The Macra na Feirme Facebook is regularly updated with the latest news from the organisation.
• Our Twitter account is also updated regularly with similar posts to Facebook to keep the information consistent across all social media accounts.
• Customers can subscribe to our weekly newsletter through our website. All members have the option to be added to the mail list upon joining the organisation. The newsletter updates customers about club, county and national news and events. Macra Agricultural Skillnet courses are also listed in the newsletter.
Our Service Standards
Macra na Feirme pledges to:
• provide a prompt, efficient, courteous and responsive service which is respectful of our customers time
• have a positive attitude towards the organisation, its members, our colleagues and all stakeholders
• ensure privacy and confidentiality
• have respect for and to all
• maintain national office hours 9:15-5pm Monday to Friday and customers should normally expect queries to be dealt with daily within these hours.
• where members of staff do not work full time or are on leave, their out of office email reply and phone message will outline their return time and direct customers to an alternative contact
Complaints Process
• Complaints, in writing, should be addressed to Macra na Feirme, Irish Farm Centre, Bluebell, Dublin 12 or by email to customerservice@macra.ie
• A complaint will be directed to the relevant person/department
• When a complaint is received the complainant will normally receive communication within 24 hours and no later than 10 working days.
• If a complaint needs to be investigated, the complainant will be informed and given an estimated date of completion.
• In the case where a complaint relates to a club or county, it will be directed to the relevant regional Training and Development Officer.
• If the complaint still cannot be resolved, it will then be forwarded to the Chief Executive Officer and should it remain unresolved will then escalated to the President, who may notify the National Board.
• A complaint or comment on the operating procedures of the organization will be kept on file for review, with a view to improving our services.
Compliance with Legislation
Macra na Feirme has several privacy policies, statements and protocols in place that outline the way we gather information, how we manage it, how we use that information and the circumstances in which we may disclose it.
• Our Privacy and Data Protection Policy is available online at https://macra.ie/privacy-policy.
• The Child Protection Policy covers our commitment to provide a safe environment where the welfare of the child/young person is of paramount importance.
• Macra na Feirme’s Health and Safety Policy demonstrates our commitment to providing a safe, healthy and accessible environment. We will comply with occupational health and safety standards and, as part of this, facilitate access for people with disabilities and others with specific needs.
• The Freedom of Information Acts (FOI Acts) establish three statutory rights for citizens:
1. A right to access information held by public bodies
2. A right to have official information relating to himself/herself amended where it is incomplete, incorrect or misleading
3. A right to obtain reasons for decisions affecting oneself
All FOI applications, or requests for further information on the FOI procedures, should be addressed to: Macra na Feirme, Irish Farm Centre, Bluebell, Dublin 12, Phone: 01 426 8900 and by email to customerservice@macra.ie
• Under the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015. Macra na Feirme is required to record any communication with designated public officials on the lobbying register on a regular basis. This web-based Register provides specific information to the public which identifies those communicating with designated public officials on policy and legislative matters.
Consultation
The Macra na Feirme consultation process is guided by three principles which should be:
• Genuine and meaningful
• Be targeted at and facilitate input from all those with an interest
• Be considered at all stages in the policy process, including development implementation and review
Our consultations are carried out through the normal channel’s customers use to interact with our services and include our volunteer committees (National Council, Board of Directors, Ag Affairs, Rural Youth and the Competitions Committee.
Consultations are held between staff and the committees on a regular basis and the methods of consultation utilised by the organisation include:
• Questionnaire-based surveys
• Focus groups
• Public meetings
Outputs from the consultation process will normally fall into three categories:
• The design of current services and their delivery mechanisms.
• The introduction of new services.
• Setting service standards – what levels of service customers feel are required/important.
Customers responsibilities
We expect:
• Our staff, volunteers, members, suppliers and all stakeholders to be treated courteously and with dignity and respect
• Any aggressive or violent behaviour to include but not limited to, bullying, harassment or discrimination will not be accepted and Macra na Feirme reserves the right to take appropriate action in such cases.
• To provide feedback to help us to improve our service
• To provide accurate information
• To represent, operate and work to the highest professional standards in promoting and maintaining the reputation of Macra na Feirme
• To be punctual, prompt and professional when conducting Macra na Feirme business