Give customers control

Well-designed products and services give customers the confidence to act securely and decisively. For customers in vulnerable situations, it's especially important they have this sense of control over their lives. Organisations need to deliver experiences that really work and support customers with effective processes and procedures.

Ask yourself...

How close is the customer to your product and service development process?

Are your current product offerings set up to support customers and prevent misuse?

Is a vulnerable person sufficiently protected from exploitation?

Can delegates access what is needed to support their vulnerable person?

What could giving customers control look like?

Opportunity 1

Customers can involve a loved one if they don’t feel able

Sometimes the customer themselves might not be the one who needs more control. Allowing loved ones to work alongside their vulnerable relatives could have a powerful effect on the usability of your product or service.
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How might you get there?

Change the way you involve secondary account holders so customers can determine the relevant access.
Consider introducing proportional, scalable control to products and services that can be granted and adjusted as needed.
Enable delegates to view the customer's account.

Could you enable delegates to monitor balances and transactions, or even transact on someone else's behalf? How about enabling relatives to sign off or review the spending of their loved ones?

Could you enable customers to analyse or filter their own habits and patterns?

Opportunity 2

Customers have control over how they use their data

Allowing customers to set their own parameters for the products and services they use gives them control over their own circumstances. It could be vital for flagging suspicious patterns, irresponsible behaviour, or malicious activity.
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How might you get there?

Understand the limitations that your existing catalogue imposes on customers in vulnerable circumstances.
Review your KYC model and risk appetite so that customers can transact in a limited way, prior to providing evidence of identity.

Opportunity 3

Customers have support when they most need it

Combine an understanding of your customers’ spending behaviours and their potential implications, with the ability to act and provide timely support.
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How might you get there? ‍

Understand where customers most often spend during vulnerable episodes.
Identify where and what integrations may provide positive behaviour nudges.

Could you integrate current account balances with online spending to nudge customers into making better choices?

Could it be possible for customers to ask for help discreetly at the cashpoint?

Opportunity 4

Customers can disclose their needs without judgement

Asking for help is hard. Consider people who are in a complex or abusive relationship. If customers are anxious about admitting their vulnerability, it can discourage them from doing it when they need you the most.

How might you get there?

Establish a support pathway that's easy to understand and communicate for colleagues and customers.
Review processes to ensure customers don't need to repeat information they provide.
Give colleagues permission to focus on collaborative problem-solving with customers in need.

Brian is experiencing cognitive decline in old age. What is the impact of his increasing financial vulnerability?

Read Brian's story →

Who are your vulnerable customers?

Which of your customers would benefit from loved ones having more control? Based on research, we've created four profiles of individuals in vulnerable situations to help you design or test your products and services from a different perspective.

Design for vulnerability