Specialist Support

The lewis group financial solutions unit. Providing support and assistance for vulnerable people
We believe that help for customers in debt, especially those in distress, should be a right, not a privilege. These days, a professional debt collection agency must be as much a provider of specialist help and support as a collector.

It protects our clients’ brands, of course. But it also results in better collection. Working sensitively with customers means arrangements are more likely to be maintained and promises kept. Indeed, over 80% of lewis group financial difficulties customers maintain their payments.

This is why, although fully compliant with the Lending Standards Board (LSB) rules, the lewis group financial services unit (FSU) isn’t just a tick in the legislation box – it’s a part of our culture.

Identifying people in difficulty
The lewis group's collectors are trained to recognise key words such as redundancy, bankruptcy, divorce and bereavement, transferring such customers to a specialist team that has time to focus on their needs.

Collectors have a ‘hot key’ that refers financial difficulties callers direct to the Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS) and gives them priority over other incoming calls to the charity.

Promoting debt advice
Selected lewis group collection letters refer customers to free advice services, including the CCCS, National Debt Line and the Citizens Advice Bureau.

We have online links with major debt advice companies and can process offers of repayment within 24-hours. We also help customers direct, with our own income and expenditure form.

Strategies and seamless links
Collection and customer management strategies mirror client practices and policies, while new technologies link with client systems to manage and account for many small payments without excessive admin time or cost.