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.