Reporting forms

FR 1379

Consumer Satisfaction Questionnaire, Federal Reserve Consumer Help - Consumer Survey, and Consumer Complaint Form

Description: The Consumer Satisfaction Questionnaire (FR 1379a) consists of six general questions in which consumers are asked about their dealings with Federal Reserve staff and the customer service provided, if they were satisfied with the handling of their complaint investigations, and whether the Federal Reserve's response was clear and received in a timely manner. The Federal Reserve Consumer Help (FRCH) - Consumer Survey (FR 1379b) consists of five questions that ask consumers to rate the performance of the service provided by the FRCH. The Consumer Complaint Form (FR 1379c) enables consumers to submit an online consumer complaint or inquiry via the FRCH web site and consists of three sections: consumer contact information, institution information, and consumer complaint description.

OMB: 7100-0135

Purpose: FR 1379a and FR 1379b are used to determine whether consumers are satisfied with the way the Federal Reserve System responds to and handles consumer complaints and to solicit suggestions for improving the complaint-handling process. FR 1379c enhances consumers' ability to contact the Federal Reserve electronically.

Background: In 1975, the Federal Trade Commission Improvement Act (15 U.S.C. 57a) mandated that the Federal Reserve System handle consumer complaints involving state member banks. A 1976 staff report by the Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs of the House Committee on Banking, Currency, and Housing recommended the periodic evaluation of the Federal Reserve's complaint-handling system. In response, the Board in May 1977 developed the Consumer Satisfaction Questionnaire (FR 1379) to be sent to consumers whose complaints against state member banks were referred to a Federal Reserve Bank for investigation. In 1999, the Board extended distribution of the FR 1379 to all consumers who have filed complaints involving state member banks and began requesting that consumers provide certain demographic information. (Prior to 1999, the FR 1379 was sent only to those consumers who filed their complaints directly with the Board) In November 2007, the Federal Reserve launched the FRCH web site, www.federalreserveconsumerhelp.gov, a new centralized resource that consolidates and streamlines the Federal Reserve's consumer complaint and inquiry program. As a result, in April 2008, the FR 1379 was revised by: (1) renumbering FR1379 to FR 1379a and reducing the number of questions from 25 to 6; (2) implementing a new voluntary questionnaire, the Federal Reserve Consumer Help - Consumer Survey (FR 1379b); and (3) implementing a new voluntary consumer online complaint form, the FRCH Consumer Complaint Form (FR 1379c), available on the FRCH web site.

Respondent Panel: The FR 1379a panel consists of consumers whose complaints involved state member banks that were investigated by the Federal Reserve System. The FR 1379b panel consists of consumers who contacted the FRCH to file a complaint or inquiry. The FR 1379c panel consists of consumers who submitted their complaints and inquires online via the FRCH web site.

Frequency: Event-generated; participation is voluntary.

Public Release: The results may be published in the Board's annual report to the Congress, which deals in part with its responsibilities for consumer protection laws in the financial services area.

 
Last update: June 18, 2008