The UK is about to host the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow from 31 October to 12 November 2021.

Since January 2021, global market forces and, more recently, soaring natural gas prices have forced no fewer than 14 smaller energy suppliers to cease trading.

Actuaries are problem solvers and strategic thinkers, but they’re also often misunderstood.

You have a problem. Someone else has been talking to your customer. The likes of Amazon, Apple, Nordstorm – and the other gods of customer service have been educating your customer in what excellent looks and feels like.

Customer loyalty is the holy grail of brand. Less than a decade ago, consumers told marketing research company IPSOS MORI that they trusted certain household brands (Heinz, John Lewis, Walmart) more than the Government.

More consumers can now choose to charge an electric car at home, generate their own electricity from solar panels, track their energy usage with a smart meter and turn their washing machine on wirelessly when their energy is at its cheapest.

As the rate of change increases, large established companies must be able to innovate at pace and scale, to keep one step ahead of start-ups and large technology companies that are moving into new sectors and markets.

To mark National Customer Service Week, Capita’s Customer Experience Design and Delivery Director, Charlie Whitworth, underlines the importance of understanding why customers are really contacting you.

Businesses today are more inventive, creative and bold than they have ever been before. They’ve had to be. We are living in a moment where there is no ‘playing it safe’ – and where doing nothing is often the worst possible option.

We’ve just commissioned some independent research into “Fairness in Collections” to gain a deeper insight into the issues facing people who are in debt.