Customer vulnerability in a B2B context matters

Within the utilities sector and beyond, customer vulnerability has historically been focused on household customers. This, however, is starting to change – and rightly so.

Managing customer vulnerability in a business-to-business (B2B) context can be more challenging; however, at their core businesses are made up of people, some of which, at times, will find themselves in a vulnerable situation. Recent research shows two in three of us have reported feeling vulnerable within the past six months.

And the last few years have been particularly challenging for businesses given the impact of the pandemic, followed almost immediately by the cost-of-living crisis. While at Business Stream we’ve always been committed to helping our customers, we have definitely felt the need to respond more pro-actively to the external environment and put additional support measures in place to help our customers who have been impacted.

​Vulnerability affects people personally and professionally (Picture: stock.adobe.com)

Implementing a customer vulnerability strategy in the B2B sector is about acknowledging our role in a broader network of support. And while as a water retailer we are unlikely to be our customers’ primary source for support, we do believe we (and other B2B service providers) have a role to play in supporting customers in need.

To help us develop our approach we’ve been speaking to leads from different industries who are further ahead in this space to learn from them and compare approaches. It’s been clear from these conversations that no one company can cater to every vulnerability that exists, and nor should that be the expectation, but having some core commitments and initiatives in place, supported by a strong framework, can really help.

The key for all businesses, not just within the utilities space, is to ensure customer facing teams are equipped with the right skills and capabilities to feel confident in having supportive conversations with customers. We know ourselves that when we call in to a customer service centre, we want to feel listened to, and that becomes even more important in a vulnerability context. So investing in training and resources is vital.

It’s also important to establish networks and partnerships that can provide external resources. For example, our collaboration with the National Support Network (NSN) allows us to signpost our customers to additional support services when their needs go beyond what we can directly provide. This type of partnership helps to broaden the scope of assistance available, ensuring that customers have access to relevant resources and guidance when they need it most.

​Jo Mayes, Customer Service Director, Business Stream

Vulnerability, whether permanent or temporary, doesn’t just affect people in their personal lives, it can impact them in their professional life too. As we continue to develop our understanding of this issue and roll out our customer vulnerability framework, we aim to set a standard for customer care within the B2B water sector that reflects this broader, more inclusive perspective.

Jo Mayes, Customer Service Director, Business Stream