Creating the capability to improve vulnerable customer experience

A UK credit insurance company with over 2 million customers had identified that its ability to handle vulnerable customers – for example those with cognitive impairments or experiencing illness, bereavement or other adverse life events – was not consistent across different agents and did not meet the Financial Conduct Authority’s requirements for Treating Customers Fairly.

Working with customer service and training leads, Open Chord analysed current performance to indicate opportunities to improve the identification and treatment of vulnerable customers, defined and delivered enhanced training, and set up a system of customer champions to deepen engagement and ownership in the front line.

Customer remediation in times of uncertainty

A major UK bank was restructuring to meet the requirements of EU legislation regarding state aid. Open Chord worked as part of the team setting up a new challenger bank with customers due to transfer across at a point in time. Some of those customers would be affected by one or more remediation programmes that were in progress or scheduled for future.

Our work consisted of designing an enhanced process to turn disgruntled customers (remediation was typically for systemic errors that disadvantaged customers) into advocates of the new bank and, critically, creating rolling plans that illustrated the impact of remediation initiatives in an uncertain environment and enabled the senior management team to take appropriate action.

Business plans that deliver results

World Heart Beat is a music education charity based in south-west London. In 2017, the local council launched a competition to set up a ‘cultural anchor’ in the Nine Elms development (the site of the new US Embassy).

Open Chord joined the bid team and delivered a concise business plan for the charity in the new premises along with material that enhanced the vision of the anchor once it was up and running. Out of a field of 42 contenders, World Heart Beat was successful and Open Chord continues to provide change management support in advance of the opening of the centre in 2020.

… invaluable and literally incredible with experience, advice and support on business planning and change.  Sahana Gero MBE, Artistic Director World Heart Beat