Handling complaints and disputes

About handling complaints and disputes

Did you know? Complaints provide us with important feedback. Complaints offer insights into the way others see your organisation, giving it an opportunity to improve. Regulations exist to set the standard for your approach to complaints handling so it’s vital that you understand how your organisation wants to accept and respond to complaints from customers or others in the community.

You may also like our comprehensive course Complaints handling and dispute resolution RG271

Regulatory compliance and conduct learning

Our General Corporate Compliance modules are designed for enterprise wide training, offering bite-sized modules (30-45 minutes), the perfect study duration, balancing convenience with learning. Contextualised specifically for Financial Services.

About our handling complaints and disputes module

This module outlines your responsibilities to handle and manage complaints in a way that meets your organisation’s regulatory obligations and does the right thing by customers.

The relevant laws and regulations governing these requirements are:

  • For financial services licensees, this is specified in subsections 912A(1)(g) and 912A(2) of the Corporations Act.
  • For credit licensees, it’s found in subsections 47(1)(h) and 47(1)(i) of the National Credit Act.

Program Content

  • Why complaints matters
  • The complaints handling process
  • Escalation options

Learning Outcomes

  • Define what constitutes a complaint
  • Describe processes by which a customer can make a complaint
  • Explain decision-making approaches, effective record-keeping, and other obligations required under a complaints-handling process
  • Describe when a matter should be referred to AFCA.

What you will learn

Who is this course for?

  • All financial representatives must be trained to adhere to financial services-specific regulation and industry codes with respect to conduct.

Units of Competency

Pre-requisite

Recognition of Prior Learning

Certification

Explore our General Compliance Training

A simple enterprise-wide solution for a complex world of regulation.

Frequently Asked Questions

ASIC has an important stake to ensure that financial firms maintain adequate IDR procedures so it can promote its core objectives under Chapter 7 of the Act:
  • To promote the confidence of consumers and investors in the Australian financial system;
  • To ensure fairness, honesty and professionalism by practitioners;
  • To promote fair and orderly markets; and
  • To mitigate systemic risks.
Consumer and small business access to fair, timely and effective dispute resolution is an essential part of the financial services consumer protection framework. It is consistent with ASIC’s function of promoting consumer protection in the Australian financial system. (RG 271.12)

The general corporate compliance suite is a curated library of engaging online modules designed to help employees across your organisation understand their responsibilities and feel equipped to uphold the regulatory and conduct standards that apply to their role. Developed specifically for the Australian financial services sector, each module is instructionally designed for maximum engagement and knowledge retention.  

The team at FEP understands that effective compliance training is not just about delivering regulatory content; it's about creating learning that is engaging, relevant and impactful for organisations and their employees. We design training experiences that resonate with individuals, ensuring they gain practical knowledge and skills that are immediately applicable to their roles.
What will I learn in this workshop?2026-07-15T18:59:10+10:00

The workshop combines regulatory updates with practical compliance guidance, helping Responsible Managers better understand their obligations and strengthen their governance framework.

Topics include:

Credit regulation and licensing

Understand the current regulatory framework governing Australian Credit Licensees and ASIC’s expectations of Responsible Managers.

The role and responsibilities of a Responsible Manager

Explore what ASIC expects Responsible Managers to do in practice and how to effectively discharge your responsibilities.

Regulatory priorities

Understand the emerging issues and compliance risks currently attracting regulatory attention.

Recent ASIC regulatory outcomes

Review recent enforcement actions and regulatory outcomes with a focus on the role Responsible Managers played – and the lessons every licensee should learn.

Accountability and governance

Strengthen your oversight, governance and compliance framework through practical examples and proven approaches.

Managing your ongoing obligations

Learn practical tips for staying across your obligations, maintaining effective records and meeting your reporting responsibilities.

Financial Education Professionals acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.