How many of your customers are vulnerable?

Any customer can be vulnerable according to the new whitepaper from the DMA's vulnerable consumer taskforce, and companies will benefit by treating these customers appropriately

Make sure your brand's contact with customers remains appropriate and does not place them into vulnerable situations by reading our latest white paper.

The concept of the 'vulnerable consumer' is not a simple one.

A customer may be temporarily vulnerable due to circumstance or have longer-term vulnerabilities due to a pre-existing condition.

The truth is that any customer is potentially vulnerable.

Elaine Lee, Co-Chair of the DMA vulnerable consumer taskforce and Managing Director at ReynoldsBusbyLee, said, "It’s vital that businesses keep in mind that vulnerability is a very changeable and contextual state. Any illness, condition, stress or disadvantage is likely to change over time – whether for the better or worse – and will usually affect your customer differently in any given situation."

The DMA's vulnerable consumer taskforce has published a new white paper which offers practical examples for brands to follow to ensure they meet their customers' needs, and minimises the chances of placing customers into vulnerable situations.

Developed through a collaboration between experts and marketers from across the industry, this is a practical guide for marketers everywhere, and will help your brand better meet customer expectations.

Jacqui Crawley, Co-Chair of the DMA vulnerable consumer taskforce and Managing Director at KMB, said, "Ultimately, the best way to mitigate vulnerability is to meet your customer’s needs on a one-to-one basis and, wherever possible, to give them the power to control their own experience.

"For example, by the simple act of enabling them to choose the channels that work best for them and interact at their own pace, on their own terms, to achieve their own preferred outcome. For its part, many businesses are already trying to recognise the challenge of vulnerable consumers and this paper offers some of the ideas that were discussed by key stakeholders from across the industry," she said.

If you would like to know more about our initiatives around vulnerable consumers, please contact Rosie Atherfold. Our Responsible Marketing Committee meets once a month and welcomes observers. You can find out more about them here.

Download the Vulnerable Consumer Guide