Supporting Vulnerable Customers

At Gigaclear we are committed to treating all customers fairly and understand that there are many life events that can impact on a customer’s vulnerability, these can be long-term or temporary. Our teams are trained to offer all customers the best level of service and the right level of support.

What is a vulnerable customer?

For the purpose of this policy, a vulnerable customer is a customer who is especially susceptible to harm or detriment because of their personal circumstances, such as:

• Age
• Physical or learning disability
• Physical or mental illness
• Low literacy levels
• Communication difficulties
• Significant changes in circumstances such as bereavement or a job loss resulting in a sudden reduction in income.

We understand that it is our duty to protect the interests of our vulnerable customers and to offer appropriate additional services to support them.

How can I inform you about my circumstances?

If you are in a vulnerable situation or have specific accessibility requirements and need to let us know, you can do so in one of the following ways:

Phone - You can call our Customer Operations Team on 01865 591131

Online Chat – Message our team via Online Chat

Email – Email us at support@gigaclear.com

Write to us – Gigaclear Ltd, Building One | Wyndyke Furlong | Abingdon | Oxon | OX14 1UQ

If you contact us to let us know about a change in your circumstances, we will flag this on our customer records, to ensure we provide you with the right level of support throughout your time with us. Please be assured that any information you provide will be handled in strict confidence and in accordance with data protection law.

For more information about how we hold or use your data, please refer to our privacy policy online at Privacy Policy.

How does Gigaclear support vulnerable customers?

Free access to directory enquiries service - For customers with a visual impairment or for those who are unable to use a printed directory, we provide free access to directory enquiries with our Home Phone service. To sign up for this service, customers need to register by filling in a simple application form. Call the registration team (BT) on 0800 587 0195 to ask for the form (opening hours are from 9am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday). This will need to be countersigned by a doctor, nurse or another medical practitioner before you send the form back. Once you have successfully signed up, you can call 195 to speak to the operator who will find the phone number you require. Please note that any calls connected by the operator as a result of using directory enquires will be charged at the standard late.

Relay Service – For customers that have difficulty hearing or speaking, this service offers text-to-speech and speech-to-text translation, allowing customers to make calls using typing and the support of a text Relay Assistant.  We provide access to BT’s Relay UK service. You can utilise this service using textphones, PCs, laptops and smartphones. However, to benefit from all the improvements that next generation text relay brings, you will need an internet-connected device.

To make a text relay call, you will need to dial 18001 followed by the telephone number of the person you are calling.

To use text relay on a smartphone or pc, you will need to download the free app from relayuk.bt.com. A text relay call can be made in a number of ways:

• You could use a standard landline or mobile phone for the voice part of the call and an internet-connected device, such as a PC or a smartphone to view the text.
• A single device, such as a smartphone can also be used, if you have access to WiFi or the device can handle a call and a 3G or 4G internet connection simultaneously.

The cost of a text relay call will be no more than the equivalent price had the call been made directly without the use of a relay service.

To find out more about the Relay Service visit relayuk.bt.com or Ofcom’s useful guide.

Free Emergency Video Relay Service using British Sign Language – This service enables deaf British Sign Language (BSL) users to contact the emergency services through a British Sign Language interpreter. You can make a call through the 999 BSL app (iOS and Android devices) or website (https://999bsl.co.uk/) to make a call to 999. Your call will go to a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter first, who will appear on the screen. The BSL interpreter will then call the 999 operator through landline and will relay the conversation. More information can be found here: https://999bsl.co.uk/

Priority fault repair – Gigaclear prioritises repairs for vulnerable customers, ensuring that repair appointments for customers with a vulnerability are carried out as quickly as possible. In the event of a network outage, Gigaclear assesses whether there are vulnerable customers impacted and prioritises the repair of these customers as part of its standard incident response.

Third party bill management – Gigaclear ensures that vulnerable customers can nominate an alternative contact whom we can discuss account matters with on their behalf, including receiving and paying bills, subject to passing data security.

Documentation in accessible formats – We can provide bills, contract documentation and letters in other formats such as large print, Braille, coloured paper or electronic format, free of charge, to customers who are blind or visually impaired.

Supporting customers in a temporary change of circumstances – Gigaclear understand that a change in personal circumstances can cause a temporary financial burden, including bereavement and debt challenges. We can offer payment plans for customers with temporary financial difficulties who are struggling to pay their bills. For customers going through a bereavement, we will respect the wishes of family members and only cancel the contract when instructed to do so.

Battery back-up for broadband and Home Phone – Gigaclear provides a free battery back-up for vulnerable customers who are using our Home Phone service and are reliant on this as their only means of communication. In the event of a power cut to the home, the battery back-up can provide an additional supply of power to keep your Gigaclear Home Phone and broadband active for a minimum of one hour to allow you to make phone calls to emergency services during that period. Once a customer has notified us of a vulnerability, we will send a free of charge battery back-up within one week of being notified. We also write to our customers on an annual basis to identify any change in their personal circumstances that have made them vulnerable and who would benefit from a battery back-up.

Policy Review

Gigaclear is committed to continuously monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of this policy to ensure our vulnerable customers and customers with accessibility requirements receive the appropriate support and guidance. We listen to customer feedback and monitor reviews as well as using internal feedback to further improve our policies.

Staff Training

All customer facing staff are aware of this Vulnerable Customer Policy and their responsibility to treat all customers fairly. Staff are trained to offer appropriate additional support to any customer whose circumstances have led to them becoming vulnerable.