RiseNet

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Code of Customer Care

Raising Standards in Retail Service & Customer Experience

The RiseNet Code of Customer Care sets out the minimum service standards that all RiseNet members agree to follow, implement, and maintain.

This Code exists to:

  • Protect consumers
  • Support responsible retailers
  • Raise service standards across retail
  • Build long-term trust in the RiseNet mark

All RiseNet members must adhere to this Code as a condition of membership.

1. Purpose of the Code

The RiseNet Code of Customer Care defines what customers should reasonably expect when purchasing from a RiseNet member.

It establishes clear expectations across:

  • Sales and pre-purchase information
  • Order fulfilment and delivery
  • Communication and responsiveness
  • Complaints handling and dispute resolution
  • Fairness, transparency, and accountability

The Code applies to all customer interactions, including online, in-store, telephone, email, and marketplace sales.

2. General Principles

RiseNet members must conduct their business in a manner that is:

  • Honest – providing accurate and truthful information
  • Transparent – with no hidden conditions or misleading practices
  • Fair – treating customers reasonably and consistently
  • Professional – at all stages of the customer journey
  • Accountable – taking responsibility when things go wrong

3. Pre-Purchase Information & Transparency

Members must ensure customers can easily access clear and accurate information before purchasing, including:

  • Full business identity and contact details
  • Clear product descriptions and specifications
  • Accurate pricing, including VAT and additional charges
  • Delivery options, costs, and estimated timescales
  • Returns, refunds, and cancellation rights
  • Warranty or guarantee information where applicable
  • Terms and conditions written in plain language

Information must be:

  • Easy to find
  • Not misleading or ambiguous
  • Kept up to date

4. Ordering & Payment

RiseNet members must:

  • Process orders accurately and securely
  • Provide clear order confirmation
  • Not take payment for goods they cannot reasonably supply
  • Notify customers promptly if stock or supply issues arise
  • Offer secure and recognised payment methods
  • Clearly explain any pre-orders, backorders, or delays

5. Delivery Standards

RiseNet members are expected to use appropriate delivery services aligned with the value, size, and nature of the goods sold.

Members must:

  • Provide realistic delivery timescales
  • Use tracked delivery where reasonably possible
  • Communicate dispatch and delivery updates clearly
  • Inform customers promptly of delays or issues
  • Ensure goods are packaged securely and responsibly

Delivery practices should prioritise reliability, accountability, and customer experience, not lowest-cost fulfilment at the expense of service quality.

6. Communication & Responsiveness

RiseNet members must maintain clear and accessible communication channels.

Members commit to:

  • Responding to customer enquiries promptly
  • Acknowledging complaints within a reasonable timeframe
  • Providing clear, polite, and professional responses
  • Avoiding automated or dismissive replies where issues are raised
  • Keeping customers informed throughout issue resolution

As a general principle, customers should not be left uncertain, ignored, or without updates.

7. Complaints Handling

All RiseNet members must have a documented complaints handling procedure.

This procedure must:

  • Be easy for customers to access
  • Explain how to raise a complaint
  • Set clear response time expectations
  • Identify escalation steps if resolution is not achieved
  • Aim to resolve complaints fairly and efficiently

Members must:

  • Treat complaints seriously
  • Investigate issues impartially
  • Avoid defensive or obstructive behaviour
  • Seek reasonable resolutions based on the facts

8. Returns, Refunds & After-Sales Care

RiseNet members must handle returns and refunds in line with consumer law and best practice.

Members commit to:

  • Clear and fair returns policies
  • Timely processing of refunds
  • Transparent communication throughout the process
  • Avoiding unnecessary barriers or delays
  • Offering appropriate remedies for faulty or incorrect goods

After-sales care should be viewed as part of the customer experience — not an inconvenience.

9. Fairness & Vulnerable Customers

RiseNet members must take particular care when dealing with:

  • Vulnerable customers
  • Elderly customers
  • Customers with limited digital access or understanding

Members should:

  • Communicate clearly and patiently
  • Avoid pressure selling
  • Provide additional assistance where reasonable
  • Act with empathy and discretion

10. Accountability & Resolution

RiseNet members accept that mistakes and service failures can occur.

When they do, members must:

  • Acknowledge the issue
  • Take responsibility where appropriate
  • Act promptly to resolve the matter
  • Learn from failures to prevent recurrence

Blaming customers, delivery partners, or third parties does not remove a retailer’s responsibility for the customer experience.

11. Staff Awareness & Training

Members must ensure that:

  • Staff understand the RiseNet Code of Customer Care
  • Customer-facing teams are trained appropriately
  • Policies are applied consistently across the business
  • Escalations are handled by competent decision-makers

12. Use of the RISEnet Brand & Badge

Members may only use the RiseNet name, logos, and badges:

  • While their membership remains active
  • In accordance with RiseNet brand guidelines
  • In a way that is accurate and not misleading

Misuse of the RiseNet brand may result in suspension or removal of membership.

13. Monitoring, Review & Compliance

RiseNet may:

  • Review member compliance
  • Investigate complaints relating to service standards
  • Request evidence of procedures or improvements
  • Require corrective actions where issues are identified

Membership is conditional on continued compliance with this Code.

14. Continuous Improvement

The RiseNet Code of Customer Care is a living document.

Members are expected to:

  • Review customer feedback
  • Improve systems and processes
  • Adapt to changing expectations and best practice
  • Engage constructively with RISEnet guidance

15. Consequences of Non-Compliance

Failure to comply with the RiseNet Code of Customer Care may result in:

  • Guidance and corrective action requests
  • Temporary suspension of membership
  • Permanent removal from RISEnet
  • Withdrawal of rights to use the RISEnet brand

These measures exist to protect consumers and the integrity of RISEnet.

RiseNet exists to support retailers who care about doing things properly.

By joining RiseNet, members commit not just to meeting minimum standards, but to raising the standard of retail customer care for the benefit of customers, businesses, and the wider retail sector.