OUR VULNERABLE CONSUMERS POLICY

At Juszt Capital our staff are trained in how to identify vulnerable consumers of which may not be able to make a fully informed decision about the services we offer. These include those suffering a bereavement, illiteracy, illness, disability or other impairments. Our friendly staff will listen carefully and identify the needs of each of our customers and adjust our approach accordingly. 

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Typical signs we look out for are as follows:

• Does our client appear confused?

• Does our client know what is being discussed?

• Does our client ask unrelated questions?

• Does our client understand what you are saying?

• Does our client hear the complete conversation or are they missing important bits?

• Does our client ask us to speak up or speak more slowly?

• Does our client keep digressing, talking about irrelevancies or things that don’t make sense?

• Does our client keep repeating themselves?

• Does our client say ‘Yes’ in answer to a question when it is clear they haven’t listened or understood?

• Does our client not understand their brief, or previous phone conversation or recent correspondence?

• Does our client take a long time to answer questions?

• Does our client sound flustered or out-of-breath, indicating a lack of mobility due to age or illness?

• Does our client say “My son/daughter/wife/husband deals with these things for me”?

• Where there is a language barrier is our client vulnerable, not fully understanding conversations?

 

From a practical point of view, when dealing with vulnerable consumers, our staff will:

• Aim to speak clearly and enunciate

• Aim to be patient/empathise/listen carefully

• Aim to guide a phone call/email/conversation to keep it ‘on-topic’

• Aim to give the client time to explain fully – and not interrupt or show impatience

• Aim to repeat anything that is not understood

• Don’t rush them – if they need to put the phone down to find account details it could take

• Aim to clarify at every point, posing the question “Is there anything you’d like me to explain?”

• Aim to ask the client to explain to you what they understand the agreement to be

• Aim to offer alternatives to phone/email – maybe they would prefer to meet face-to-face

• Aim to distinguish between verbal cues and agreement e.g.

• Aim to explicitly and clearly confirm all the important information

• Not assume that the client is sighted – they may be unable to read details or small print

• Not assume that the client can hear everything you are saying – they may have a hearing impairment

• Not assume that a client fully understands all the implications of an offer/agreement.

• Ask a client if there is anyone else they need to talk to before making the decision.

• Ask a client if they understand the consequences of making, or not making, this decision?

• Ask a client if they understand and can process information about the decision?

• Ask a client if they need to discuss this with anyone else”

• Ask a client if they would like us to explain any parts again.

• Ask a client if they want to think about something before making a decision.

• Ask a client if there is anything we can do to help them deal with us.

• Remember that vulnerable consumers can sometimes be forgetful or overly trusting.

• Make sure the consumer is not flustered, agitated or in an emotional state when they make a decision.