What makes a customer ‘vulnerable’ and how to support them

In recent years the term ‘vulnerability’ has become increasingly used in regulated industries like banking and utilities.

Many people can have characteristics of vulnerability – due to poor health, disability, neurodiversity, anxiety, ageing or a mental health condition, a life event such as a new caring responsibility, or low resilience to financial shocks such as the cost of living crisis.

All need digital information provided about products and services to be easy to understand, and customer-service lines to understand their specific needs.

The link between vulnerability and accessibility is clear. But, if you want to enable people who are vulnerable to use your digital tools and services, you’ll have to go beyond WCAG, which misses many of the things people who are neurodivergent, ageing, or have mental health conditions or anxiety need.

In this webinar, Jonathan Hassell discusses what accessibility experts can learn from their colleagues who focus on vulnerability, how vulnerability without accessibility misses a key audience, and how accessibility and vulnerability professionals can gain from working together to better meet the needs of all.

If you’d like to talk with us about how we can help you enhance your vulnerability strategy, or harmonise your accessibility and vulnerability strategies, please do get in touch.

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Membership of HiHub is free and gives you full access to our webinar video archive (over 3 days free training!), downloads & guidance to help you on your accessibility journey whether you’re: an advocate for diversity and inclusion; your organisation’s accessibility lead; a product or campaign manager; or a member of a team creating sites and apps.

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Summary of key report findings including: 12million over-65s in the UK, 63p in every pound will be spent by then by 2040, they currently spend £163 a month online on average, 60% of over-65s have good or more confidence level online, but 81% say they have frustrations, 11% of over-65s say they would spend more if websites and apps were easier to use

Find out more about your 'Golden Opportunity' Are you serving the needs of older online customers?

Our populations are ageing. The retirement age is being pushed back in most countries. And the over-70s are the UK’s most online adults after twentysomethings, with considerable spending power.

So it is essential that the digital needs of older people are considered when creating websites, mobile apps and digital workplace tools.

In late 2023 we conducted research into the digital preferences, needs and online activities of 1,296 over-65s in the UK.

Our report details findings such as: Which services do they engage with online? How easy do they find using them? And how much more would they spend online if sites and apps took their needs fully into account?

Get actionable insights to help your organisation engage this sizeable demographic, and convert them into loyal, satisfied customers.

Get the Golden Opportunity report

If you’ve only got 1 hour a month to improve your digital accessibility knowledge, spend it with us! Digital Accessibility Experts Live

Come and join us at our free monthly webinar:

Upcoming webinars:

  • 24th October, 4pm – ‘Accessibility & AI’
  • 21st November 4pm – ‘Work harder or Work smarter? How to Optimise Your Accessibility Strategy’
  • 19 December – ‘How can you be a good employer if your intranet (and digital tools) sucks?’
Register your place