Responding to consumers in financial hardship
01st Sep 2021
Summary
The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman’s latest systemic investigation reveals while most telcos have robust policies for dealing with financial hardship, the policies are not always applied consistently. Consumers in vulnerable circumstances continue to experience barriers when accessing support.
The report identifies four key areas of improvement for providers in responding to consumers in financial hardship:
- Accessible, proactive and timely hardship assistance
- Effective hardship arrangements that factor in consumers’ circumstances
- Payment plans recorded and applied accurately
- Regular engagement with consumers to support better outcomes