The Financial Industry Complaints Service (FICS) has launched a comprehensive guide to dealing with complaints.

The 72-page FICS Complaints Manual for Members will help the association's members formulate their responses to consumers.

The guide contains information on FICS' role in external dispute resolution, participating in a conciliation conference, FICS' own internal dispute resolution process, arbitration and complaint resolution.

It also contains a series of complaint management templates for members from the life insurance, financial planning, stockbroking and managed funds sectors.