CSA work with Samaritans to provide new free online learning module

With Wednesday 24 July being ‘Samaritans Awareness Day’, the Credit Services Association (CSA) is pleased to launch a short online learning module aimed at helping debt collection agencies give their frontline staff the latest tips and advice about how to appropriately conduct sensitive conversations with individuals in vulnerable circumstances.

The ‘Supportive Listening’ module is being made available to CSA member firms free of charge and complements the existing CSA Collector Learning Initiative, which helps all collections firms throughout the sector to update skills across a range of relevant topics.

Welcoming the initiative CSA Chief Executive Chris Leslie said: “We were so impressed with the careful and sensitive approach taken by Samaritans who have worked with call centres across a range of different industries that we wanted to make sure our member firms also had this introductory resource. Unfortunately there are still too many individuals who become deeply distressed about their debt situation and debt collections agencies often engage with those who need careful help and support. CSA member firms want to go to great lengths to provide assistance to resolve problem debt issues and a great deal of forbearance is available to those who engage. We hope that this ‘Supportive Listening’ module can reinforce the supportive approach that frontline staff want to provide and to demonstrate that they are genuinely here to help.”

The CSA will contact members shortly with further information about accessing this new module, but if your firm is interested to learn more, just email us here at helpdesk@csa-uk.com for further details.