One key area within a customer vulnerability programme is to address accessibility. This should be seen in the context of the organisation’s offerings. The products and services offered should be considered against all the needs and expectations of customer needs.
Are services easily available and described in simple terms that the customer will understand. Is there ambiguity or duplication or at worst miss-leading statements hidden in the sales journey within your business. If so, this need addressing.
Accessibility should ensure that as many customers can achieve full satisfaction with the products and services on offer, without feeling unduly disadvantaged or unable to make informed important choices.
A good reference point is the ISO Standard 9241-171 Ergonomics of human-system interaction. Guidance on software accessibility.
The organisation should examine the sales journey from websites, adverts, call centres, printed data through to product specifications and agreements. All of this should be calibrated to ensure that the organisation has considered its widest range of customers and the possible barriers to service provision. Where barriers or lack of accessibility are identified careful business analysis should be deployed to ensure that processes can capture possible vulnerabilities early on.
It is far better to on-board a happy customer early on in a sales process rather than a dissatisfied one further down the line.
By adopting BS18477 the British Standard for inclusive service provision the organisation can be assured that it is using the best framework possible. In addition, this best in class Standard allows for external certification from BSI. Thus, enabling your organisation to publicly demonstrate its paramount commitment to addressing customer vulnerability.
For further information and to book your BS18477 – Inclusive Service Provision survey please contact: Marcus J Allen at Thamer James Ltd. Email: [email protected]
Marcus has twenty years’ experience in delivering Governance, Risk and Compliance solutions to over two hundred organisations within the UK. Marcus holds the respected Diploma in Governance, Risk and Compliance from the International Compliance Association and holds a master’s degree in Management Learning & Change from the University of Bristol.