Name
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First Name
Last Name
Email
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Organisation
How is consumer vulnerability viewed within your business?
Does your business have a Consumer Vulnerability policy?
If yes, how old is your policy and when was it last reviewed? Do all staff read it?
If yes, how do you demonstrate effectiveness of your policy? Is the policy embedded within your business process and at board level?
Remember you are answering these questions in relation to consumer vulnerability.
We always seek feedback from customers
We always use consumer focus groups
We always review complaints
We know how to identify organisational blind spots
We always check online reviews
Do all staff have training on consumer vulnerability?
Do you have specialists or vulnerability champions within your business to bring the policy to life and act in an advisory capacity?
Is vulnerability covered within your recruitment, induction, training programmes and processes to highlight its importance?
Do staff have vulnerability incorporated into their reviews/key performance indicators?
Do you have tools to help staff assess vulnerability in a consistent way?
Would your business benefit from having an internal Consumer Vulnerability focus group?
Which communication styles and options do you offer to your clients?
Is your language consistent across the business and its communications? Is it PLAIN ENGLISH and written for nine year olds as per the .gov.uk guidance?
Are all your external communications clear, easy to understand and inclusive?
For example:
Are your telephony menus and routing systems easy to navigate and consumer friendly or a barrier to vulnerability/deafness, etc.?
Is your website, friendly and easy to navigate?
Is vulnerability covered within your company website or documentation to provide reassurance to all consumers? Also, consider whether any of your consumers feel digitally excluded and what can you do about it?
Do you feed consumer vulnerability into your technological strategy? Your website design and communications strategy?
Do you have referral pathways set up when you identify a consumer has complex needs that you may not be able to support internally? Such as debt advice for example?
Do you offer a service to consumers at their home?
How do you record consumer vulnerability?
Is consumer vulnerability considered at senior levels regularly?
How do you monitor and assess changes in consumer vulnerability (remember consumer vulnerability is fluid and dynamic and people move in and out of periods of vulnerability)?
Are staff aware of what should and should not be recorded in relation to consumers?
Are your systems able to record important information and is it shared with where appropriate accross the organisation to ensure consumers and their vulnerability is supported across the organisation?
How do you support the staff that may have to deal with consumer vulnerability?
