In many ways, communications are where the ‘rubber hits the road’ for vulnerable customers. Even for those who are reasonably literate and numerate, financial services product information can be a challenge – so, for those who are not, it can easily lead to bad outcomes or harms.
In today’s webinar, we examine these issues in depth, along with some possible solutions. We’re joined by Mike Ellicock, chief executive of Plain Numbers – which helps firms to communicate more clearly. Independent research has shown that Plain Numbers can help firms double the number of customers who understand a communication.
The webinar looks at what the issues are, and then how accessibility and inclusive design can enable as many customers as possible to understand your communications. It also looks at how to identify customers with specific or severe communications vulnerabilities (such as dyslexia and dyscalculia) and how you can tailor your processes to meet those individual needs – how do you communicate numbers to those who don’t understand them? We also consider how numeracy is a mainstream issue which affects most customers to some degree – and how this can change over time, for example, with cognitive decline.
We also look at how this affects formal as well as informal and face-to-face communications – for example, not just how a website or contract delivers information, but how agents and advisers communicate information.
There will be examples and case studies, as well as the results of research undertaken by Plain Numbers.
Mike Ellicock
Mike is a social entrepreneur. Following a military career, an MBA and brief stints in banking and maths education, he launched National Numeracy in 2012, building the organisation into a well-respected national charity. Having handed over as Chief Executive there in 2020, Mike launched Plain Numbers in early 2021 and is now utilising his unparalleled knowledge of this largely hidden consumer vulnerability to work with firms to improve comprehension and thereby enable good outcomes for customers.
Andrew Gething
Andrew is the founder and managing director of MorganAsh. He is a recognised consumer vulnerability specialist and champion, is the driving force behind the award-winning consumer vulnerability management tool, MARS.