ADR schemes' performance
Every quarter, Ofcom publishes key performance indicator (KPI) results for the two main alternative dispute resolution (ADR) schemes, the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CISAS) and Ombudsman Services (OS).
This is to help you scrutinise the schemes’ performance.
Performance against KPIs
The KPIs that we measure and the scheme’ performance for each quarter from Q3 2020 are recorded below.
OS
| KPI | Q3 2020** (Jul to Sept) | Q4 2020 (Oct to Dec) | Q1 2021 (Jan to Mar) | Q2 2021 (Apr to Jun) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| More than 80% of calls to be answered in two minutes | 83% | 79% | 83% | 83% |
| More than 90% of calls to be answered in less than five minutes | 97% | 92% | 95% | 97% |
| 100% of written correspondence to be replied to within ten days | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| More than 90% of case decisions* to be issued within six weeks of the case being accepted | 57% | 32% | 37% | 65% |
| Less than 1% of case decisions* to be issued later than eight weeks after the case has been accepted | 33% | 50% | 21% | 52% |
CISAS
| KPI | Q3 2020** (Jul to Sept) | Q4 2020 (Oct to Dec) | Q1 2021 (Jan to Mar) | Q2 2021 (Apr to Jun) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| More than 80% of calls to be answered in two minutes | 96% | 97% | 97% | 95% |
| More than 90% of calls to be answered in less than five minutes | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| 100% of written correspondence to be replied to within ten days | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| More than 90% of case decisions* to be issued within six weeks of the case being accepted | 91% | 92% | 93% | 94% |
| Less than 1% of case decisions* to be issued later than eight weeks after the case has been accepted | <1% | <1% | <1% | <1% |
* It should be noted that due to the Schemes’ differing processes, the decisions issued for CISAS represent their final decision whereas, for OS, it represents the point at which an initial decision is issued.
** In 2020, both OS and CISAS made arrangements to help assist consumers and providers manage the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Both ADR schemes have continued to offer this support where appropriate. As a result, these changes meant that some complaints may have taken longer than normal to investigate.
ADR regulations approval
Under the Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Competent Authorities and Information) Regulations 2015 (“the ADR Regulations”), ADR entities must meet certain requirements in order to be certified by competent authorities.
Ofcom is the competent authority for the UK communications and postal sectors and must assess whether ADR providers continue to meet the requirements of the ADR regulations every two years.
In our most recent review in January 2020 we found that all four ADR providers: Ombudsman Services; CEDR; CDRL; and Promediate; continued to meet these requirements.
We will monitor these ADR providers to make sure any outstanding changes are made.