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If you hold a professional license in the state of Maryland, you need to be aware that a complaint can lead to disciplinary action from your licensing board. These actions often result in sanctions, suspensions, and revocations, which can damage your reputation and even leave you unable to work in your chosen profession. While you have the opportunity to defend yourself in these proceedings, the best course of action is to take steps to avoid complaints in the first place. A Maryland employment attorney can help you develop programs designed to avoid complaints in your practice, as well as help you deal with any complaints you may receive.
Practice Good Customer Service
To be blunt, many complaints are the result of poor customer service. Whether you are a doctor, a lawyer, or some other licensed professional, the client, customer, or patient must come first. It’s easy to overlook some of the simple things you can do to prevent complaints:
- Return phone calls and respond to emails promptly
- Investigate any complaints and be candid about where things may have gone wrong
- Be willing to issue partial or total refunds
When faced with a frustrated client or patient, you should make a good faith effort to diffuse the situation to their satisfaction. Dismissing their complaints or concerns is much more likely to result in disciplinary action. If you are dealing with a difficult client or patient, a Maryland employment attorney can provide guidance for resolving the issue and hopefully avoiding a formal complaint.
Set Reasonable Expectations….and Meet Them
Many licensed professionals work in the private sector which means that they need to build and grow their practices just like any other business. In the pressure to grow their practice, many professionals can fall into the trap of over-promising results and will inevitably under-deliver. Patients and clients then become resentful because they feel like they didn’t get what they paid for. Always be clear about the fact that results are rarely guaranteed. In addition, be candid about any limitations you anticipate in serving your clients or patients. If you do find yourself facing disciplinary action despite your best efforts, the best thing you can do is contact a Maryland employment attorney as soon as possible.
Keep Good Records
Many disciplinary complaints stem from failing to keep good records. This can include accounting records as well as patient or client records regarding the services you have performed. Without sound record-keeping practices, it’s easy for mistakes to be made. And in the event of a complaint, poor record-keeping will make your case more difficult. A Maryland employment attorney can review your record-keeping practices with you and give advice as to where you could make improvements.
Contact Maryland Employment Attorney J.W. Stafford to Help Protect Yourself Against Complaints
Whether you have received a disciplinary complaint or simply want to limit your exposure, we can help – contact Maryland employment attorney J.W. Stafford by calling 410-514-6099 to discuss your needs and what we can do for you.