“I define vulnerability as uncertainty, risk and emotional exposure.” – Brené Brown

As customers, we often find ourselves in vulnerable situations. To meet our fundamental and complex needs such as food, travel, and electricity, we rely on various products and services. When a customer experience is stressful, it can leave us feeling emotionally exposed. Have you ever lost your patience while speaking to customer services? If so, you’re not alone.

That’s why frontline employees play a crucial role. As the human face of a brand, they must recognise and respond to customer vulnerability with empathy and understanding. It’s a significant responsibility, but it’s also an empowering and rewarding one.

When we think about vulnerable customers, we might consider their physical or mental health. The number of people affected is growing:

• 22% of the UK population are disabled.
• 2 million people have visual impairments.
• 10 million people experience hearing loss.
• 1 in 4 people will face a mental health challenge each year.
• 5 million people have learning disabilities.

The customer you’re speaking to might have anxiety, OCD, depression, or even suicidal thoughts. They might be autistic or have ADHD, dyslexia, or other neurodivergent traits. Perhaps they’re living with dementia, Parkinson’s, or epilepsy. Or maybe they find it difficult to see, hear, speak, or walk.

Hidden vulnerability

But vulnerability isn’t always visible. Maybe today is just a tough day for them. Perhaps they’ve received bad news, they’re overwhelmed, or they didn’t sleep well. We all have days like that.

Because many vulnerabilities are hidden, customer-facing employees must approach every interaction with empathy, respect, and without prejudice. This is where diversity and inclusion workshops, unconscious bias training, and inclusive communication strategies can make a real difference, helping employees develop awareness and understanding of different customer needs.

Importantly, this also applies to employees themselves. They too can experience vulnerability, which is why organisations should invest in building an inclusive workplace through inclusive leadership coaching, gender diversity training, and cultural awareness training. By addressing challenges like workplace harassment and bullying and ensuring legal obligations for diversity in the workplace are met, businesses can foster environments where both employees and customers feel safe, respected, and valued.

Incorporating disability awareness training, neurodiversity in the workplace initiatives, and Equality Impact Assessments ensures that inclusion isn’t just a box-ticking exercise, but a meaningful, everyday practice.

By embedding Diversity, Equality & Inclusion (DEI) principles into workplace culture, businesses can create a space where vulnerability is acknowledged and supported. A little consideration and compassion go a long way, helping not just customers, but employees too, have a better day.

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