Agenda for Collections & Vulnerability Summit revealed

Correctly addressing customers in vulnerable circumstances has become increasingly important to lenders and collections agencies alike across the credit profession. Alongside that, there has been increasing regulatory and societal pressures to treat customers fairly and take greater account of hardship.

With that in mind, the Utilities & Telecoms Conference, sponsored by Experian, and Collections, Debt Sale & Purchase (CDSP) Conference – with a collective heritage of more than 28 years – are now combined under the umbrella of the Collections & Vulnerability Summit.

The day will commence with cross-sector sessions, examining how vulnerability is defined and how best to interact and provide advice in vulnerable circumstances.

There will then be sessions available specific to Utilities & Telecoms and CDSP audiences and a unique chance to take part in a set of masterclasses and workshops.

Increasingly, digital tools, including new sets of data and modelling and analytics platforms allow collections functions across the credit space to identify and manage vulnerable customers.

These tools allow those in collections put in place provisions for those customers, such as affordable repayment plans and blocks on certain types of transactions.

To reflect this shift, sessions will take place examining risk assessing customers, affordability and a practical look at transformational technology.

There will also be a session looking at the role Open Banking can play in managing vulnerable customers, along with the potential costs of efficiency.

Last year, more than 200 attended including heads of collections from lenders and a range of other sectors, chief executives of debt buyers and collection agencies, partners at debt recovery law firms.

More than 150 delegates attended from across the energy, water, public sector and telecoms community in 2018. The U&T Conference has brought together experts from the UK’s largest utilities and telecoms providers for nearly a decade.

Taking place in Manchester on October 16, the summit will allow cross-pollination and shared learning between the sectors, becoming the UK’s first 360-degree forum for senior professionals and advisors in the collections and vulnerability space.

The summit will give delegates a vital opportunity to explore best practice, guidelines and the role of technology for practical, applicable insight into ways to improve collections and vulnerable customer strategies for your business.

Delegates will hear from high-profile panellists and gain insight from rigorous on-stage interviews from the best-in-class credit professionals including, Dave Poole, managing director, financial services at Brighthouse, Penelope Clarke, head of credit risk at Vodafone, Rebecca Dib-Simkin, marketing and product director at Octopus Energy and Michelle Atkinson, head of income at United Utilities.

Luke Broadhurst, chief executive of Credit Strategy said: “It’s become clear through recent U&T and CDSP Conferences that there is a convergence, highlighting clear synergies across these events and markets.

“Sadly, vulnerability is an issue which is growing and becoming more complex while pervading other markets like gambling and gaming. It is the profession’s, industries’ and our responsibility to treat this critical issue with the utmost importance especially when juxtaposed against the collections profession.”

Click here to view the Collections & Vulnerability Summit agenda.