Warren is currently a non-executive director at Ofgem and the Financial Ombudsman Service, and has previously held customer-focused roles at Citizens Advice, HSBC and BT Group among others.
Supporting customers with vulnerabilities isn’t just good practice.
Nearly half of UK adults (47%) identify as vulnerable due to factors like health conditions, resilience challenges, financial hardships and life trauma, which makes it essential that businesses focus on delivering great outcomes for them.
But too often this isn’t the case. According to ArvatoConnect’s recent report, AI, Digital Transformation and Vulnerable Customers, almost half of these individuals (48%) avoid companies altogether because of poor customer service that fails to meet their needs, and 44% say they’ve never had a positive experience related to their vulnerability.
Having worked with multiple organisations to improve their customer service, I’ve identified five key priorities essential to better supporting vulnerable customers:
1) Secure top-level buy-in
Getting the CEO and board to actively support vulnerability initiatives is crucial. This often requires tough decisions, like balancing human and tech support or adjusting ROI expectations. The most successful companies make vulnerability a core value, embedding it across all customer service touchpoints and ensuring human support is central to their strategy.
2) Partner with experts
To truly understand the needs of vulnerable customers – whether it’s visible or invisible disabilities, financial strain or temporary hardships – it’s essential to collaborate with third-party experts. Charities, consumer groups and advocacy organisations can provide invaluable insights and perspectives that can be used to shape better, more effective support.
3) Inside-out approach
Any support for vulnerable customers starts by supporting employees. Helping staff with disabilities, caregiving duties or mental health challenges fosters a compassionate culture and this empathy then extends to customers.
4) People first, technology second
While technology is key to delivering great customer experience, it should never replace the human connection. The best service comes from investing in people: hiring, training and rewarding staff who understand and support vulnerable customers, with technology used to enhance – not replace – these interactions.
5) Inclusivity
Inclusion should be baked into the design of a business’ entire service, not just specific products. The more tailored a service is, the more complex and costly it becomes. By taking an inclusive design approach from the start, firms can create flexible services that meet the diverse needs of vulnerable customers without the added expense of overly bespoke solutions.
Ultimately, supporting vulnerable customers is more than a responsibility – it offers an opportunity to differentiate.
With over half taking their custom elsewhere due to poor service, companies have a clear chance to build loyalty by getting the customer experience right. Better supporting vulnerable customers starts with putting the right foundations in place.
To learn more about the daily challenges of vulnerable individuals, the role of technology in improving their lives and their expectations of businesses they engage with, click here.
