1. Introduction and Commitment

ARK PLATFORMS, EUROPE LIMITED, operating as Bizly ("Bizly," "we," "us," or "our"), is committed to providing high-quality services and excellent customer service. We value feedback from our customers and take all complaints seriously. This Complaints & Dispute Policy outlines our procedures for handling complaints, resolving disputes, and ensuring fair treatment of all customers. We aim to resolve complaints quickly, fairly, and transparently. If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of our services, we encourage you to contact us so we can address your concerns and work toward a resolution.

2. What Constitutes a Complaint

A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction with our services, products, staff, or processes. Complaints may relate to: (a) Quality or timeliness of services provided; (b) Errors or omissions in documents or applications; (c) Customer service or communication issues; (d) Billing, pricing, or refund disputes; (e) Technical issues with our website or platform; (f) Data protection or privacy concerns; (g) Alleged breaches of our Terms of Service or other policies; (h) Any other aspect of our business that causes dissatisfaction. We distinguish between complaints (which require formal investigation and resolution) and general inquiries or service requests (which are handled through our normal customer support channels). If you are unsure whether your concern constitutes a complaint, please contact us, and we will help you determine the appropriate process.

3. How to Submit a Complaint

You can submit a complaint through any of the following channels: (a) Email: Send a detailed description of your complaint to info@arkplatforms.co.uk with the subject line "Complaint - [Brief Description]"; (b) Support Ticket: Submit a support ticket through your account dashboard and select "Complaint" as the category; (c) Mail: Send a written complaint to our registered office address (see Section 20 for contact details); (d) Phone: Call us at +44 7308 506068 and inform the representative that you wish to file a formal complaint. When submitting a complaint, please provide the following information: (i) Your full name and contact information; (ii) Your account number or order number (if applicable); (iii) A clear and detailed description of the issue or concern; (iv) The date(s) when the issue occurred; (v) Any relevant supporting documentation (e.g., emails, screenshots, invoices); (vi) The outcome or resolution you are seeking; (vii) Any previous attempts to resolve the issue. Providing complete and accurate information will help us investigate and resolve your complaint more efficiently.

4. Acknowledgment of Complaints

We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 2 business days. The acknowledgment will include: (a) Confirmation that we have received your complaint; (b) A unique reference number for tracking your complaint; (c) The name and contact information of the person or team handling your complaint; (d) An estimated timeframe for investigation and resolution; (e) Information about the complaints process and your rights. If we need additional information or clarification to investigate your complaint, we will contact you promptly. Please respond to our requests for information as quickly as possible to avoid delays in resolving your complaint.

5. Investigation Process

Once we receive your complaint, we will conduct a thorough and impartial investigation, which may include: (a) Reviewing your account history, transaction records, and communications; (b) Examining relevant documents, files, and system logs; (c) Interviewing staff members involved in the matter; (d) Consulting with legal, compliance, or technical experts as needed; (e) Requesting additional information or documentation from you; (f) Contacting third parties (e.g., government authorities, service providers) if relevant to the complaint. We will conduct the investigation fairly and objectively, considering all relevant facts and circumstances. We will keep you informed of the progress of the investigation and will notify you if there are any delays or if we need additional time to complete the investigation.

6. Resolution Timeframes

We aim to resolve complaints as quickly as possible. Our target timeframes are: (a) Simple Complaints: Resolved within 5 business days of receipt; (b) Standard Complaints: Resolved within 15 business days of receipt; (c) Complex Complaints: Resolved within 30 business days of receipt. The complexity of a complaint depends on factors such as the nature of the issue, the amount of investigation required, the involvement of third parties, and the availability of information. If we are unable to resolve your complaint within the target timeframe, we will: (i) Notify you of the delay and the reasons for it; (ii) Provide an updated estimated resolution date; (iii) Keep you informed of progress at regular intervals (at least every 10 business days). We will make every effort to resolve complaints as quickly as possible while ensuring a thorough and fair investigation.

7. Complaint Outcomes and Responses

Upon completing our investigation, we will provide you with a written response that includes: (a) A summary of your complaint and the key issues raised; (b) A summary of our investigation and findings; (c) Our decision on the complaint (upheld, partially upheld, or not upheld); (d) The reasons for our decision, including reference to relevant facts, policies, and legal requirements; (e) Any actions we will take to resolve the issue or prevent recurrence; (f) Any remedies, compensation, or redress we are offering (if applicable); (g) Information about your right to escalate the complaint if you are not satisfied with our response; (h) Information about external dispute resolution options (see Section 11). We will communicate our response in clear, plain language and will explain any technical or legal terms. If you have questions about our response or need clarification, please contact us.

8. Remedies and Compensation

If we uphold your complaint (in whole or in part), we may offer one or more of the following remedies: (a) Apology: A sincere apology for the error, inconvenience, or poor service; (b) Correction: Correcting errors or omissions in documents, applications, or records; (c) Re-performance: Re-performing the service or completing the work that was not done properly; (d) Refund: A full or partial refund of fees paid, in accordance with our Refund Policy; (e) Fee Waiver: Waiving fees for future services or providing a discount; (f) Compensation: Financial compensation for direct losses or damages caused by our error or negligence; (g) Service Credit: Credit toward future services; (h) Process Improvements: Implementing changes to our processes, systems, or training to prevent recurrence. The remedy offered will depend on the nature and severity of the issue, the impact on you, and what is fair and reasonable in the circumstances. We will explain the basis for any remedy offered. Please note that compensation is limited to direct losses and damages and does not include indirect, consequential, or punitive damages, except as required by law.

9. Escalation Process

If you are not satisfied with our initial response to your complaint, you have the right to escalate the matter. Our escalation process is as follows: (a) Level 1 - Initial Complaint: Handled by our customer support team or complaints officer; (b) Level 2 - Senior Management Review: If you are not satisfied with the Level 1 response, you can request a review by senior management. Your complaint will be reviewed by a senior manager who was not involved in the initial investigation. The senior manager will conduct an independent review and provide a response within 15 business days; (c) Level 3 - Executive Review: If you are still not satisfied after the Level 2 review, you can request a final review by our executive team or board of directors. This is the highest level of internal review. The executive review will be completed within 30 business days, and the decision will be final from our perspective. To escalate your complaint, please contact us and clearly state that you wish to escalate the matter to the next level. Provide your complaint reference number and explain why you are not satisfied with the previous response.

10. Complaints About Data Protection

If your complaint relates to data protection, privacy, or the handling of your personal data, we will handle it in accordance with Data Protection Laws (UK GDPR, EU GDPR, and Data Protection Act 2018). You have the right to: (a) Request access to your personal data; (b) Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data; (c) Request erasure of your personal data in certain circumstances; (d) Request restriction of processing of your personal data; (e) Object to processing of your personal data; (f) Request portability of your personal data; (g) Lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority. If you are not satisfied with our response to a data protection complaint, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) or the relevant supervisory authority in your country. Contact details for the ICO: Website: https://ico.org.uk, Phone: 0303 123 1113, Address: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF, United Kingdom.

11. External Dispute Resolution

If you have exhausted our internal complaints process and are still not satisfied with the outcome, you may have the option to pursue external dispute resolution. Options may include: (a) Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR): We may agree to participate in mediation or other ADR processes to resolve disputes amicably and avoid litigation. ADR is voluntary and requires the agreement of both parties; (b) Ombudsman Services: Depending on the nature of your complaint and your location, you may be able to refer the matter to an ombudsman or similar independent dispute resolution service. We will inform you if an ombudsman service is available for your complaint; (c) Small Claims Court: For disputes involving small amounts of money, you may be able to pursue a claim in small claims court; (d) Legal Action: You have the right to pursue legal action through the courts if you believe you have a valid legal claim. Please note that legal action should generally be a last resort after other resolution options have been exhausted. We encourage you to contact us before pursuing external dispute resolution, as we may be able to reach a mutually acceptable resolution without the need for formal proceedings.

12. Complaints About Third Parties

If your complaint relates to a third-party service provider, government authority, or other external party (e.g., a bank, registered agent, or government registry), we will: (a) Investigate the matter to the extent we are able; (b) Liaise with the third party on your behalf if appropriate; (c) Provide you with information and assistance to help you pursue the matter directly with the third party; (d) Explain the limitations of our ability to resolve issues caused by third parties. Please note that we have limited control over the actions, decisions, and processes of third parties, and we cannot guarantee outcomes or force third parties to take specific actions. If the third party is at fault, you may need to pursue your complaint directly with them or through their complaints process.

13. Frivolous or Vexatious Complaints

While we take all complaints seriously, we reserve the right to decline to investigate or respond to complaints that we determine to be: (a) Frivolous, trivial, or lacking in substance; (b) Vexatious, harassing, or made in bad faith; (c) Repetitive or substantially the same as previous complaints that have already been addressed; (d) Made for an improper purpose, such as to cause annoyance or disruption; (e) Clearly without merit or based on false or misleading information. If we determine that a complaint falls into one of these categories, we will notify you of our decision and the reasons for it. You will have the opportunity to provide additional information or clarification if you believe our determination is incorrect. We will not decline to investigate legitimate complaints, and we will give you the benefit of the doubt in borderline cases.

14. Confidentiality and Privacy

We will handle all complaints confidentially and in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Data Protection Laws. We will: (a) Limit access to complaint information to staff members who need to know for the purpose of investigating and resolving the complaint; (b) Not disclose complaint information to third parties without your consent, except as required by law or necessary to investigate the complaint (e.g., contacting a third-party service provider); (c) Store complaint records securely and retain them for the period required by law or for legitimate business purposes; (d) Anonymize complaint data when using it for training, quality improvement, or reporting purposes. You have the right to request access to records of your complaint and to request correction of any inaccuracies. If you have concerns about the confidentiality or privacy of your complaint, please let us know.

15. Learning and Improvement

We view complaints as valuable feedback that helps us improve our services, processes, and customer experience. We will: (a) Analyze complaint data to identify trends, patterns, and recurring issues; (b) Conduct root cause analysis to understand the underlying causes of complaints; (c) Implement corrective actions and process improvements to prevent recurrence; (d) Provide training and guidance to staff based on lessons learned from complaints; (e) Monitor the effectiveness of improvements and make further adjustments as needed; (f) Report on complaint trends and improvement initiatives to senior management and the board. We are committed to continuous improvement and to learning from our mistakes. Your feedback helps us serve you and all our customers better.

16. Complaints About Staff Conduct

If your complaint relates to the conduct, behavior, or professionalism of a staff member, we will: (a) Take the matter seriously and investigate thoroughly; (b) Interview the staff member and any witnesses; (c) Review relevant communications, records, and evidence; (d) Take appropriate disciplinary action if the complaint is upheld, which may include coaching, retraining, formal warnings, or termination of employment; (e) Implement measures to prevent recurrence, such as additional training or changes to policies and procedures. We expect all staff members to treat customers with respect, professionalism, and courtesy. We do not tolerate abusive, discriminatory, or unprofessional behavior by our staff. If you experience such behavior, please report it to us immediately.

17. Record Keeping and Reporting

We maintain comprehensive records of all complaints, including: (a) The nature and details of the complaint; (b) The investigation process and findings; (c) The outcome and any remedies provided; (d) The time taken to resolve the complaint; (e) Any escalations or external referrals; (f) Lessons learned and improvements implemented. We use complaint data to: (i) Monitor our performance and identify areas for improvement; (ii) Report to senior management and the board on complaint trends and resolution rates; (iii) Comply with regulatory reporting requirements (if applicable); (iv) Demonstrate our commitment to fair treatment and customer service. Complaint records are retained for at least 6 years or as required by applicable laws and regulations.

18. No Retaliation

We will not retaliate against you or treat you unfavorably because you have made a complaint. You have the right to: (a) Make a complaint without fear of negative consequences; (b) Continue to receive the same level of service and treatment as other customers; (c) Have your complaint handled fairly and objectively; (d) Escalate your complaint or pursue external dispute resolution if you are not satisfied. If you believe you have been subjected to retaliation because of a complaint, please contact us immediately, and we will investigate the matter.

19. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Complaints & Dispute Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our processes, legal requirements, or best practices. Updates will be posted on our website with a new "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of our services after updates are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

20. Contact Us

To submit a complaint or for questions about this policy, please contact us at:

ARK PLATFORMS, EUROPE LIMITED
Attention: Complaints Officer
OFFICE 12, INITIAL BUSINESS CENTRE
WILSON BUSINESS PARK
MANCHESTER, M40 8WN
United Kingdom

Email: info@arkplatforms.co.uk
Phone: +44 7308 506068

We are committed to resolving your complaint fairly and efficiently. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to address your concerns.