Vulnerable Customer Support

Link has been championing customer outcomes and forbearance since the company was founded in 1998. We do this in a number of ways:

• We have a dedicated team providing the best possible support for vulnerable customers, staffed by specialist team members with backgrounds which involve working with or helping vulnerable people. Every customer referred to the unit is allocated a dedicated Specialist Case Manager to provide all necessary support until their case is concluded.
• All customer-facing team members receive regular vulnerability training, using the TEXAS, BRUCE and IDEA models to ensure they can recognise vulnerability red flags.
• In terms of technology, we have the latest in speech analytics, programmed to recognise vulnerability key words so that we can isolate calls and contain conversations, a further safety net to ensure instances of vulnerability are not missed.
• We have tailored our customer experience by designing our contact strategy and all communications in such a way that they help us to identify and give specialist help to vulnerable customers at the earliest possible point.
• Team members regularly attend third party conferences and events to stay informed on relevant issues, for example, the City of London Corporation’s Suicide Prevention Awareness session run by the Samaritans.
• The whole Link Financial team have become Dementia Friends.
• Link engages with external organisations, sharing knowledge and driving positive change. We are represented on multiple forums and working groups including The Money Advice Liaison Group, The Finance and Leasing Association & UK Finance, and participate in webinars to share best practice.

In summary, Link’s Vulnerable Customers programme ensures that the right outcomes for vulnerable customers can be found earlier, and particularly vulnerable active accounts receive speedy and bespoke attention from our specialist team members.