At Ascent, our commitment to doing the right thing for customers is central to our business. Our company vision, which drives our culture and practices, is: “Leading the way by doing the right thing for customers, always” and we believe that’s more important now than ever.
That’s why we’ve outlined a list of commitments, designed to help customers with existing debt and also those experiencing financial difficulties caused by COVID-19.
Our colleagues are of course already highly trained in supporting those in debt, including vulnerable customers, and you can expect them to continue to provide high-quality, empathetic service to customers throughout this difficult time. Our number one aim is still to deliver the right outcomes for everyone.
Our commitments are:
Breathing Space – we are absolutely committed to helping customers overcome their financial difficulties wherever we can by applying breathing space where appropriate, and will look at each case individually, taking on board each customer’s own circumstances.
Additional payment flexibility – We will look at each case individually and be as flexible as possible. Anyone whose financial situation has been impacted by COVID-19 should contact us as soon as possible to discuss amending plans.
No new litigation claims – We will not issue any new claims during the COVID-19 crisis. Where customers are in the middle of an existing claim, we will proactively and individually contact them to let them know what’s happening with their case.
Maintain customer support – We have invested in technology to allow us to cope with the operational challenges posed by COVID-19, and are pleased to say that will continue to be available for customers when they need to contact us, either by phone or online. We’ll continue to invest in new online support services such as Web Chat, which will be launched shortly.
Increased signposting guidance – We have recently updated our customer website to include a range of user-friendly, relatable customer case studies, which include signposting to a wide range of organisations and charities, tailored to each circumstance. You can visit our case studies section at https://ascent.co.uk/case-studies/
Online updates – Thanks to our investment in technology, Ascent is operating as normal – however this may change as the situation across the UK develops. If there are any changes to how we are operating, we’ll keep you updated at https://ascent.co.uk/coronavirus-information/ .
You can also keep updated via our LinkedIn and Twitter pages.