It is essential to create an internal complaint mechanism (ICM) process that is flexible enough to respond to differing needs and demands of complainants and to adapt to new and/or special situations.

There may be cases where your agency's need for an efficient and clearly delineated process may conflict with the needs of the complainant. For example, a complaint may involve issues that should be considered by senior management. In such a case, it may be a waste of your resources and the complainant's time to have the complaint considered at several lower levels before it reaches senior management. Your ICM should give complaint-handlers sufficient discretion to make exceptions where necessary.