Expert-Led Strategies for Supporting Vulnerable Customers

Providing great customer service is one thing, but ensuring that vulnerable customers receive the support they truly need?

That’s a whole different challenge. There’s no quick fix, but by combining people, processes, and technology approaches, everyone can benefit.

That’s why we’ve rounded up some of the best expert opinions right now from Helen Beaumont Manahan, Jenna Birchall, Matt Radford, and Richard Bassett to put the spotlight on what a well-rounded vulnerable customer strategy looks like.

People

Agents Need Ongoing Education to Handle Sensitive Conversations With Confidence

“Agents need ongoing education on how to handle sensitive conversations with confidence and care. Regular workshops and scenario-based learning can make a huge impact.

When businesses prioritize vulnerability training and tailor their services accordingly, they don’t just tick a compliance box – they genuinely improve people’s lives.” – Jenna Birchall, Vulnerability Consultant at Helen Pettifer Training Ltd

Be sure to regularly review how your agents are performing in this area too, so there’s accountability baked into your processes, and customer support doesn’t unknowingly degrade over time.

Some organizations have even successfully introduced dedicated teams trained to handle certain types of vulnerable customers. (Like those seen at NatWest and Leeds Building Society.)

This ensures customers in need get the right support without putting pressure on all of your frontline agents.

Try the “My Friend John” Technique to Help Normalize Accessing Support

You could also try training your agents up on the “My Friend John” technique.

When someone is in a vulnerable situation such as experiencing financial or emotional struggles or overwhelmed by life events, being told “You should contact this organization” can feel daunting, intrusive, or like they are being singled out. However, subtle reframing can normalize the experience and make the next step feel less risky.

This is why the “My Friend John” technique is a great conversational tool agents can use to gently reassure customers that help is not only available but worth accepting.

The title is a giveaway for how the training technique works, to help advisors see that social proof can normalize accepting support without feeling singled out. For example, “My friend John was in a similar situation and contacted this organization that really helped him…” Of course, in the context of customer support, we don’t want to share personal anecdotes of where our friends may have found help!

What we DO want to do is reassure our customer that they aren’t alone; that seeking support is a normal part of our service, and crucially, that lots of other customers have found help by engaging with the signposted resource, e.g., “Many of our customers have found it helpful to contact [X organization] in similar circumstances. Would you like me to share those details with you too?”

“The “My Friend John” technique, when used with other signposting good practice, can help us to send the message that help is available, and tells our customer: you are not the first, and you are not alone. This approach can increase the chances that someone in a vulnerable situation will access and accept support… not because they were told to, but because the way we phrased it made it safer, more relatable, and more human.” – Helen Beaumont Manahan, Director of Client Success & CX at National Support Network

Processes

Replace Back and Forth Conversations With a Simple Tick-Box Question

Of course, a lot can be achieved when your agents are well trained to deal with situations reactively, but you should always be on the lookout for opportunities to support customers proactively and more efficiently through improved processes.

A good way to think about this is through the conversation around wheelchair accessibility.

For example, if someone is applying for a job and, at the bottom of the application form, there’s an empty box for “Do you have any additional requirements?” and the applicant writes down that they need wheelchair access.

This sparks action and conversation about someone confirming “Right, we’ve made your interview wheelchair accessible.”

However, all of this time and conversation could be simplified to a tick box in your processes that just says, “Tick this box if you require wheelchair access”. No need for an explanation or a conversation!

Another example was showcased in this recent LinkedIn post from Dave Vernon of The Forum, where he asked a question about the benefits of offering a fully digital bereavement process, as some customers prefer that to having to speak to anyone about their recent bereavement.

This mindset can also be applied to the breadth of channels you offer too, so customers can find a channel that meets their accessibility needs – without needing to discuss additional support – as Stine Ringvig Marsal shared at the recent Women in CX UnConference in Berlin.

Technology

AI Can Massively Improve an Agent’s Ability to Identify a Vulnerable Customer

Another challenge in the vulnerability space is in identifying customers who genuinely require some additional support, so their needs aren’t overlooked.

This isn’t always straightforward, however, as customers may be experiencing financial hardship, mental health struggles, disabilities, bereavement, or even digital exclusion.

Not only that, but sometimes, it’s clear when a customer is struggling – maybe they’re distressed or confused – whilst other times, they might not explicitly say they need extra support.

Whatever the case may be, agents still need to be able to pick up on verbal cues like hesitation, frustration, or silence to know when to step in.

This is where AI can really layer in agent augmentation to take this identification to the next level – by tracking interactions and flagging potential vulnerabilities based on past conversations.

As Richard Bassett, VP of CX Automation & AI at NiCE Ltd explains in more detail in our Recorded Webinar: Top Tips for Supporting Vulnerable Customers.

How Have You Overhauled Your People, Processes, and Technology to Better Support Your Vulnerable Customers?

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With thanks to the following people for sharing their thoughts for this article:

• Helen Beaumont Manahan, Director of Client Success & CX at National Support Network
• Jenna Birchall, Vulnerability Consultant at Helen Pettifer Training Ltd
• Matt Radford, Chief Executive Officer at Vulnerable Paths
• Richard Bassett, VP of CX Automation & AI at NiCE Ltd

If you are looking for more information to support vulnerable customers in your contact centre, read these articles next:

• How Signposting Helps Businesses to Support Vulnerable Customers
• How to Deal With Vulnerable Customers
• How to Write to Vulnerable Customers

Author: Robyn Coppell
Reviewed by: Xander Freeman