I think our team is fantastic. The bereavement journey with us has a lot of care and empathy built into it.
For example, we make sure the person has a dedicated contact. At what may be the hardest time of their lives they do not want to have the same conversation over and over, with lots of people at the company.
It may also be the first time some people have had to deal with that particular process after bereavement, so our bereavement team go through through resilience training to help clients.
They often have to deal with very difficult calls, and so there is also a need to protect our colleagues. To give your best, you need to feel your best.
We partner with the Samaritans who are experts in listening and empathy - we use the Samaritans listening wheel [above] and build training around this for our teams and others dealing with difficult situations, such as serious ill health
We also have relationships with charities such as Cancer Research, and we ask them and other charities to educate and upskill us in dealing with certain scenarios to close that empathy gap.
FTA: Is there a lack of financial literacy, and how profound is it?
RT: Definitely alongside financial vulnerability is a concerning lack of financial literacy - people may know nothin about the plan or what it was there to do.
It leads to that broader conversation point on finances. Now I know we don't talk about finances as a society - it's not the done thing, but we need to educate ourselves and our children in schools and talk about money and financial arrangements.
This is really important. Things like having a power of attorney in place are vital, so that if there is a time when you can't look after your finances, you have enabled someone else to make decisions on your behalf if need be.
When I went to an IFA to get a will and POA, it was explained to me that the POA was for when you are alive and the will was for when you are dead, and you need both.
That preparation is so important because we often find people who are beneficiaries and relatives do not understand what the person's finances were all about. We have to help them understand what the policy was for, and what their options are now.
We also give them appropriate signposting to advice to help them with future decisions.
FTA: What sort of communications should advisers have with providers about supporting vulnerable customers?
