If you can believe it, it’s already less than six weeks to the festive period. But please don’t panic – I’m not going to focus on Christmas just yet! Of course, it’s essential that organisations treat all their customers with respect and understanding throughout the year – but this is even more acute at times of heightened demand, such as the upcoming Black Friday and the run-up to the holiday season.
We are also aware that this is often one of the biggest trading periods for the retail, tourism and leisure sectors. Service reputations can be made or broken at this time of year.
Many vulnerable or excluded customers are living with complex needs and may also experience greater social isolation at this time of the year.
Quite apart from any legal and regulatory obligations, being sensitive to the unique needs of every customer is a basic moral requirement. When I first started out, we talked about customer care, and somehow, over the years, this term fell out of favour. Recent observations show that where we show care, we can make our greatest impact.
Getting the basics right for inclusive service
Organisations that are true to their purpose, clear about their propositions, relevant, and get the basics right are in the best position to support those most in need. This includes taking steps to identify and understand who your vulnerable customers are and ensuring products and services can flexibly respond to changes in your customers’ circumstances.
We should be careful not to label but to listen and understand the uniqueness of the challenge, which requires us to take a bit more time to diagnose the issue and respond with the right level of care and appreciation.
It also means assessing best practice for supporting those that are most vulnerable. Those organisations which aspire to a true service culture and return on investment that comes with it will naturally look for ways they can go beyond minimum mandated or expected standards.
Well-led businesses will also support their own staff to be the best they can with the right training and development.
Customers can become vulnerable due to changing circumstances – and not all vulnerable customers will self-identify as such – as your staff will tell you. Processes and procedures should be agile enough to respond to this.
One area to be particularly vigilant about is ensuring that the accelerating shift to online provision does not leave behind the customers most in need. According to research by the charity Sense, nearly half of customers with complex disabilities struggle to access and engage with online services. We are all acutely aware of the opportunities that AI and tech can bring, but we need to ensure we build around the customer and have enough flexibility to ensure that the human is genuinely ‘in the loop’.
A Call to Action for UK Businesses
The Christmas period, though it can be challenging for many businesses – especially in retail and hospitality – provides a great opportunity to enhance genuine customer care, which can leave a positive and long-lasting brand impact.
Nothing demonstrates a company’s fundamental values more than how it treats those with complex needs and living with difficult circumstances. It’s all very well having a heart-warming Christmas ad, but it’s more important to live these values across the organisation, during the festive period and all year round.
Related Posts
