⚛️ Accessibility and vulnerable customers
Millions of people in 5 countries use our products and services. As BrightHR we're here to help people in their working lives, whatever their abilities.
When we're designing and building products, we need to consider how the choices we make help enable people to get the most value out of what we can offer.
Thinking about making things accessible and appropriate for many people encompasses:
- Technical considerations, such as AA compliance on the web
- Process & design considerations, such as contact methods
- Content considerations, such as writing clearly, simply, and consistently
- Researching and testing with people with different needs
Vulnerable customers
Although users may well not think of themselves as vulnerable, considering the context and needs of vulnerable customers helps us make better design decisions.
A vulnerable customer is someone who, due to their personal circumstances, is especially susceptible to harm, particularly when a company is not acting with appropriate levels of care. All customers are at risk of becoming vulnerable and this risk is increased by characteristics of vulnerability related to 4 key drivers.
Health – health conditions or illnesses that affect ability to carry out day-to-day tasks.
Life events – life events such as bereavement, job loss or relationship breakdown.
Resilience – low ability to withstand financial or emotional shocks.
Capability – low knowledge of financial matters or low confidence in managing money (financial capability). Low capability in other relevant areas such as literacy, or digital skills.
This table gives examples of characteristics associated with the 4 drivers of vulnerability. Think about these elements as you design and build solutions.
| Health | Life events | Resilience | Capability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical disability | Retirement | Inadequate (outgoings exceed income) or erratic income | Low knowledge or confidence in managing finances |
| Severe or long-term illness | Bereavement | Over-indebtness | Poor literacy or numeracy skills |
| Hearing or visual impairment | Income shock | Low savings | Poor English language skills |
| Mental health condition or disability | Relationship breakdown | Low emotional resilience | Poor or non-existent digital skills |
| Addiction | Domestic abuse | Learning difficulties | |
| Low mental capacity or cognitive disability | Caring responsibilities | No or low access to help and support |