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Summary
This guide provides phone, broadband, and pay-TV providers with information on how to treat vulnerable customers fairly. It covers topics such as establishing and publishing policies, providing clear and accessible written communications, and offering follow-up information in writing. The guide also includes key statistics and takeaways to help providers better understand the needs of vulnerable customers.
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Key Points
- Providers should establish and publish policies to ensure fair treatment of vulnerable customers.
- Providers should provide clear and accessible written communications, tailored to customers’ specific needs.
- Follow-up information in writing should be offered to vulnerable customers who would benefit from it.
- Providers should record information about vulnerable customers and their needs.
- Providers should monitor their performance in treating vulnerable customers fairly.
- Staff training is essential to ensure that providers can identify and support vulnerable customers.
- Providers should signpost customers to external sources of help where appropriate.
- General Condition C1.4 requires that contract information be provided in a clear and comprehensive manner.
- Section 68, Part 2 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires that consumer contracts or consumer notices are transparent and written using plain and intelligible language.
- Some customers have lower levels of literacy or health conditions that affect their ability to process information.
- Offering follow-up information in writing will be useful for many people, especially vulnerable people.
- Providers should be clear if there is an action for the customer to take, for example, if they are expected to get in touch or make a payment.
Key Take Aways
- Providers should take steps to ensure that vulnerable customers receive the support and services they need.
- Clear and accessible written communications are essential for vulnerable customers.
- Follow-up information in writing can be useful for customers who have difficulty processing information in real-time.
- Providers should tailor their communications to customers’ specific needs.
- Providers should record information about vulnerable customers and their needs.
- Monitoring performance is essential to ensure that providers are treating vulnerable customers fairly.
- Staff training is essential to ensure that providers can identify and support vulnerable customers.
- Providers should signpost customers to external sources of help where appropriate.
- Contract information should be provided in a clear and comprehensive manner.
- Consumer contracts or consumer notices should be transparent and written using plain and intelligible language.
- Providers should be aware that some customers have lower levels of literacy or health conditions that affect their ability to process information.
- Providers should be clear if there is an action for the customer to take.
- Providers should use simple language, minimize jargon, and avoid technical terms.
- Key pieces of information should be highlighted, for example, using bold or color.
- Providers could consider testing their communications with vulnerable people and/or consumer bodies to check the content is sufficiently clear and engaging for vulnerable customers.
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