National Banking System Checks and Balances

The OCC builds checks and balances into its high-quality bank supervision program through a number of offices, including the offices of the Ombudsman and Program and Management Accountability.

The Ombudsman

The Office of the Ombudsman is a distinct division of the OCC that operates independently of the agency’s bank supervision function. The three primary functions of the Ombudsman’s office are: the National Bank Appeals Process, the Bank Examination Questionnaire, and the Customer Assistance Group (CAG). These units share a common goal: to act as catalysts for improvement in the industry and the agency. The Office of the Ombudsman is committed to the core principles of timely and fair dispute resolution and quality customer service.

National Bank Appeals Process

The Office of the Ombudsman administers a national bank appeals process. Established in 1993 and modified in 2002, this process ensures that national banks receive a fair and expeditious review of OCC decisions and actions. The Ombudsman functions independently, outside of the bank supervision and examination area, and reports directly to the Comptroller. With the consent of the Comptroller, the Ombudsman may supersede any OCC decision or action during the resolution of an appealable matter.

Bank Examination Questionnaire

The OCC solicits and receives feedback routinely from the banking industry through “examination questionnaires” and “satisfaction surveys” that accompany reports of examination and decisions on corporate applications, respectively. The OCC uses these tools to gather candid and timely feedback from bankers and others. Bankers’ feedback enables OCC management to evaluate the overall effectiveness of supervision and licensing processes and to refine and make improvements continuously. These measurement tools may be completed and submitted electronically through National BankNet.

Customer Assistance Group

The Customer Assistance Group (CAG) acts as a liaison between national banks and their customers. CAG’s assistance with customer problem resolution reflects OCC’s commitment to ensure fair access to financial services and fair treatment for all national bank customers. CAG provides complaint trends and consumer issues through detailed reports, onsite meetings with bankers, and direct consultation with OCC’s supervision staff. Information identified from the complaints can serve as an early warning system that alerts the bank and the OCC to potential areas of risk.

A recent enhancement to CAG services has been the development of CAGNet. This is a Web-based “business-to-business” application that facilitates the paperless transfer of consumer complaints, the banks’ responses, and analytical reports via a secure and dedicated extranet application. In addition to improving complaint resolution time, CAGNet has decreased the burden on the industry. To date, CAGNet is available to national banks and may be accessed exclusively through National BankNet.