As the UK continues to experience a cost-of-living crisis, OVO recognised that more support was needed to help those in financial hardship.
The challenge:
As many across the UK face financial pressure, energy companies are often the first point of contact for customers seeking help in difficult times.
Recognising the consistently high rates of suicide in the UK, OVO identified a vital need for specialist training and guidance to help frontline teams respond confidently and compassionately to customers who may be in crisis or experiencing suicidal thoughts.
OVO also wanted to support their frontline teams by making sure they were equipped with the skills and aftercare needed to look after their own wellbeing after difficult conversations.
The solution:
OVO recognised the need to train their frontline teams for how to support people in this type of situation. Through a partnership with Samaritans, OVO has brought in suicide prevention and wellbeing training to make sure that customers and frontline teams receive the right support when it matters most.
OVO partnered with Samaritans to deliver a detailed training programme, as well as guidance and support across multiple teams. The collaboration began with:
- Managing suicidal conversations and Conversations with vulnerable people courses were rolled out across OVO’s Vulnerable Customer Team, making sure team members had the skills to recognise and respond to signs of distress
- Debriefing conversations to support your team course was provided to team managers, giving them tools to support colleagues after emotionally intense calls
- Conversations with vulnerable people in the written word course was given to email specialists, helping them communicate sensitively and effectively with customers
- eLearning modules on Supportive listening and Wellbeing and resilience were added to OVO’s learning platform, ensuring all team members had access to practical, evidence-based training
In addition, Samaritans provided expert guidance on the development of OVO’s new Suicidalal Conversations Process, as well as communications toolkits and advice for OVO’s social media teams.
Going beyond the workplace, Samaritans has also joined OVO at their Winter Ready community events - OVO in the Community, working side by side to support local communities during a challenging time of year.
The impact:
This partnership has given team members at OVO the confidence, skills and knowledge to support customers in situations that require additional help and guidance. Team members are better prepared to spot signs of distress and connect customers with professional help when needed.
OVO and Samaritans are now exploring new ways to strengthen support for vulnerable customers, including a potential pilot project to create a more direct pathway to professional help for those most in need.
Our people feel supported, they know we understand how difficult these calls can be and that someone is there for them to ensure they can decompress and get help following such calls.
Your people and teams can benefit from Samaritans’ training too.
Get in touch with our team today