Ella Stevens had no easy task ahead of her when it came time to begin informing various businesses and agencies of her mother’s passing. The ordeal, which was emotionally exhausting and incredibly frustrating, underscored how bereaved families lacked any meaningful support from a private company profiting off their grief. Stevens’ experience with her mother’s utility supplier, British Gas, was especially shocking. Rather than being apologetic about the impersonal billing, the company continued to provide these confusing bills—each one addressed to her deceased mother—with an off-putting perky salutation. Their letters were replete with just absolutely mystifyingly bad English.
Stevens was not alone, and despite the dire situation. For Mark Sanderson, a manager of a private investment firm, the same challenges surfaced when he had to notify different businesses of his father’s passing. Both Stevens and Sanderson’s experiences highlight a concerning trend in how corporations conduct outreach to grieving or bereaved individuals. The insensitivity and absence of positive support structures have angered the community and industry leaders.
A Frustrating Process for Families
Ella Stevens wrote in an email how painful it was having to notify dozens of companies that would be “excruciating. When her mother died, she faced the convoluted bureaucratic maze head on. Bills and letters from British Gas, Direct Line all landed, each addressed to her deceased parent. After making a complaint, Direct Line sent her mother a £50 goodwill cheque. This step only added to hurt, frustration, and confusion.
Stevens described the emotional toll of interacting with corporations that didn’t acknowledge her grief. “Three of the four corporations even issued an apology to me after Guardian Money contacted them,” she said. The truth is, thanks to the pandemic, many businesses know they’ve failed. Too often, they are at a loss about how to implement strong standards.
Mark Sanderson faced similar obstacles. He told the committee that with his experience handling his father’s finances, he had become aware of a jarring disparity. There’s a huge gap between the level of service firms pledge to deliver and what they deliver in vulnerable, confusing situations. “One of the most distressing aspects was the lack of certainty over whether my documents had been received,” he remarked.
Recommendations for Improved Support
Industry leaders, including the Center for Compassionate Care Innovation, are urging companies to take compassionate approaches when dealing with bereavement cases. Mark Sanderson used his small business best practice to recommend that companies set up one-stop channels of communication with specialized bereavement support agents. This will go a long way towards making it easier for families to work with multiple companies. They require this assistance the most at a time when they’re least able to absorb administrative burdens.
Tim Hogg, director of JTL Ltd, a construction company vocational training provider, called for an institutional change. He stated, “Too many institutions still rely on repeated paperwork, inflexible phone lines, and opaque decision-making, leaving families to chase approvals and explanations at a time when they can least cope.” These comments are indicative of a mounting frustration towards the old ways of doing business that create additional burden on grieving families.
Emad Aladhal, FCA’s director of retail banking, highlighted the critical nature of providing effective support for customers during difficult times. He noted, “When banks and building societies get it right for their customers, they can make a real difference at a difficult time. Yet when they don’t live up to very basic expectations and fail to identify and accommodate customers requiring additional assistance, their shortcomings only compound the anxiety.” His comments suggest that a lot of industries have room to grow. These improvements can go a long way in improving customer experiences during moments of mourning.
Regulatory Expectations and the Path Forward
The regulatory body Ofgem has set expectations for companies to provide effective and tailored support to bereaved customers under its consumer vulnerability strategy. This framework aims to ensure that businesses recognize the unique challenges faced by families mourning the loss of a loved one.
Companies are having a hard time delivering on these expectations. It should be self-evident that they deeply need to overhaul their approach to treating bereavement cases. The experiences shared by individuals like Ella Stevens and Mark Sanderson reflect a widespread issue that requires immediate attention and action from businesses.