At We Are Group, we are committed to making a tangible difference in the lives of our customers, especially those who are vulnerable.
Our customers’ circumstances are varied, but we often find ourselves working with a significantly higher number of vulnerable customers compared to other organisations. These include people who may have low financial literacy or low digital literacy, creating hurdles in their everyday lives. These challenges extend far beyond literacy issues. Low financial or digital literacy can link to unemployment, debt, difficulty in navigating the internet and online services, and can all contribute to a person’s vulnerability.
This is why we offer Training, Advice and Guidance services, designed to provide help and support to our vulnerable customers.
Our Contact Centre Agents serve as the first point of contact for these individuals, helping to triage their needs and determine the best Training, Advice, or Guidance service for them. It's a role we take very seriously, and we're incredibly proud to have empowered over 100,000 vulnerable customers with digital skills and assistance, debt advice, financial skills, and employment skills.
Customers who received help via our agents and were referred to one of our Training, Advice, or Guidance services have seen a:
- 26% increase in digital skills
- 42% have equal access to welfare and government services
- 30% feel less lonely and isolated
But it’s not only our services that provide our vulnerable customers with the support they need. Our dedicated Contact Centre Agents go that extra mile to support vulnerable customers and create an initial impact that extends far beyond words.
Human Connection
We prioritise human connection. Our customers always interact with a real person, not an automated system or AI-generated voice. We respond with empathy, ensuring our customers feel heard and supported.
Safeguarding
Our Contact Centre Agents are trained and skilled in safeguarding. We prioritise the safety and well-being of our vulnerable customers by providing regular quarterly safeguarding and vulnerability refresher courses. These courses ensure that our Agents are up to date with the best practices and protocols for identifying and addressing customer vulnerabilities.
Emotions
Recognising the impact of difficult and often highly emotional customer calls, we have Mental Health First Aiders on-site to provide immediate support to our Agents when needed. We also conduct monthly safeguarding workshops to review trends, processes, and policies, ensuring our Agents have the best solutions and training to handle difficult situations.
Ongoing Training
We have invested in a 2-day mental health training programme in collaboration with MHFA England, ensuring that our staff are well-prepared to address mental health concerns effectively. We deliver annual neurodiversity training and awareness programmes to all our employees, empowering our staff to provide inclusive and sensitive support to customers with diverse needs.
British Sign Language
Within our range of support services, British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation and On Demand Language Interpretation are included. These services have proven invaluable in bridging communication gaps and providing personalised assistance to our customers.
Offering more
We firmly believe in going beyond our office walls to support vulnerable customers, organising off-site events where our Agents attend to help vulnerable customers. These events allow us to directly engage with our customers and provide them the support they need in a comfortable and familiar environment.
We Are Group is committed to providing a comprehensive approach to supporting vulnerable customers. Through our range of Training, Advice, and Guidance services, community-led programmes, and commitment to safeguarding, we significantly impact the lives of our vulnerable customers. Being recognised by the esteemed UK National Contact Centre Awards 2024, where we are Finalists for ‘Best Approach to Safeguarding Vulnerable Customers’, shows us that we’re doing the right thing for our customers and motivates us to work even harder to get them the support they need.
