A standout example of where digital collaborates with traditional support services is Citizens Advice, a UK organisation well-known for its commitment to helping individuals deal with financial difficulties and other overwhelming life challenges.
In a recent Webio Credit Shift podcast, Paul Sweeney (Webio CSO) and Mark Oppermann (Webio CRO & CMO) spoke with Alison Dunn, the CEO of Citizens Advice, Gateshead. Alison shed light on how this much-needed organisation is helping people and using the digital tools available to aid the process.
With a broad spectrum of services ranging from money advice and housing support to more specialised assistance such as immigration advice and financial inclusion, Citizens Advice plays an irreplicable role in the fabric of community support across the UK.
On that note, Alison highlighted how Citizens Advice is integrating digital channels to augment its service delivery to people seeking help.
"To bring it to life for you, we delivered 300,000 digital contacts last year from Citizens Advice Gateshead alone. We supported 20,000 local Gateshead people and between them those local people had 110,000 issues."
This shift towards digitalisation is not merely about expanding reach but also about adapting to the changing preferences and circumstances of the people they serve. Alison further points out the significance of being available beyond the conventional 9:00 to 5:00 window and being available for when people are ready to talk.
“Problems don't happen on their own. They happen in clusters and they certainly don't happen Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. So that's one of the reasons why in Gateshead, we're now running a seven-day service. So, we're open Saturdays and Sundays here in Gateshead. And that's proving to be very popular with our residents.”
Alison added, “It's incumbent upon us to be available so that when that moment comes and somebody is willing to face the fact that they perhaps have problem debt, we're there to take the call, because the truth is if they don't find success in making that call, they may not call back again and you've lost them.”
People often work 9:00 to 5:00 and cannot reach out during these times. This is where using something like a conversational AI chatbots or digital assistant comes in hand. Based on Webio client data, about 16% of calls to contact centres happen out of hours, and oftentimes, human agents aren’t working then.
When people seek help from organisations like Citizens Advice, they are often dealing with multiple issues, and something will trigger them to make contact, such as an eviction notice or a redundancy. And furthermore, it may take a while before they are willing to trust an advisor as they have to open their lives to another person.
Mark commented that digital channels can be door-openers for a conversation:
“We see a shift to people being more comfortable in a digital channel versus being on a phone call. Sometimes the digital channel will be the enabler that will build them up to a phone call because it's impersonal, they don't actually have to bare their soul to an agent or a customer service person on the phone.”
However, Alison added that they need to protect the face-to-face option for those people who need it. “We certainly get a lot of digital contacts. And when I use the phrase digital, that would include things like webmail, email, WhatsApp, a whole range of channels. But we still have a core cohort that want to see somebody face to face.”
Life is complicated and people have many financial struggles to face that are often through no fault of their own. For example, with the recent rise in mortgage rates in the UK, some people simply cannot meet their monthly payments anymore. And although technology can be impressive, it is not yet at the level of a human when it comes to real understanding and empathy.
Having said that, technology can still be helpful if it is used well.
AI and automation, when thoughtfully deployed, can enhance the efficiency and efficacy of engaging with people, particularly in sensitive areas such as debt and financial vulnerability.
Although Citizens Advice is not using AI as yet, there is much potential in this conversational engagement technology for organisations like these.
One area where AI excels is in Income & Expenditure (I & E) forms. These can be swiftly handled by an AI bot on a mobile form, without it sounding like a long interrogation, and the data then passed to an agent who can then use their time helping the person. Moreover, organisations have found that the details provided are about 10% more accurate with an online, automated form.
AI's role in automating routine queries and triaging cases can free up valuable human resources for more complex and sensitive interactions, where the empathy and nuanced understanding of experienced advisors are irreplaceable.
The AI uses entity gathering, intent recognition and propensities to make the engagement more natural, with less friction and with better outcomes. Intent recognition is a powerful way of the AI identifying signs of vulnerability in a person’s language and then passing them on to the correct person to speak to, or the best next step. (See: AI Chatbots: The Three Layes of Automation)
However, we must be wary of viewing technology as a panacea and be sure to maintain a balance between technological efficiency and the inherently human aspect of advice and support work.
As Citizens Advice and similar organisations look to the future, the integration of digital technologies and AI presents both opportunities and challenges. The potential to enhance service delivery, reach more people in need, and operate more efficiently is considerable. Yet, it is still imperative to keep the human touch, ensure accessibility, and maintain a deep understanding of the complex, interrelated issues faced by those seeking advice.
Alison leaves us with a reminder of the duty that we all have to treat each other with kindness, care and consideration.
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