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EAP Policy Manual FFY24 Chapter 2 Applications & Application Processing Page 4 • Information and training about how to follow up with questions when a customer calls and the question or complaint is unclear. • Training on how to deal with difficult or angry clients. • The Service Provider procedure for complaints about the quality of service (sometimes called a grievance). • The procedure for a formal appeal at the local level. Customer Service Feedback Service Providers must develop and implement annual customer service feedback procedures. These procedures must include mechanisms to: • Solicit and collect feedback from denied applicants and EAP recipients. • Document complaints and their resolution. • Analyze results. Among the best practices include sending survey questionnaires to a random sample of approved and denied households where they respond anonymously, so the households do not feel compelled to answer positively. The analysis must include identification of any patterns or results that show strengths and weaknesses in the delivery of the program. EAP Applications and Instructions The EAP Application for new applicants and returning EAP households is made up of the instructions, the application form including signature page, and Privacy Notice and Your Rights and Responsibilities. • The Instructions for Application is a separate publication aiding in completion of the application. • The EAP Application for new applicants provides the information necessary to determine eligibility, and the applicant’s signature verifies the information is true. Use the Request for Application process in eHEAT to respond to regular application requests. For walk-ins, emergencies, and local outreach distribution, use a Service Provider EAP application. The instructions, application form, and Privacy Notice and Your Rights and Responsibilities are available to Service Providers on the Commerce website. • The Pre-Application is in the same format as the EAP Application for new applicants with pre-entered household and energy vendor information. Commerce will mail a Pre- Application to households that were determined eligible in the previous program year but not receiving the Recertification application. The application is also sent to households denied due to a lack of program funds or end of program year, if applicable.