Extra support for customers policy

1. Purpose and scope

1.1 Registers of Scotland (RoS) recognises the diverse needs of our customers, and we are committed to supporting all customers that use our products and services with fairness, dignity, and respect.

1.2 The Extra Support for Customers Policy (ESFCP) covers all channels that RoS customers use to access our products and services. This policy will outline our approach to identifying and delivering reasonable adjustments for customers who require them.

1.3 This policy will be supplemented by the following:

• Extra Support for Customers - Colleague guidance
• EQIA
• Salesforce IGRA update
• Learning Log
• Bi-annual Customer Services team communication

2. The policy

Potential customers of this Policy

2.1  This policy outlines the approach that RoS will take in dealing with customers who require extra support, including reasonable adjustments, to access our services.

2.2 This process will be customer led as we recognise that there are many factors that may contribute to someone requiring additional support, such as living with a disability, or other personal circumstances relating to factors such as age, gender identity, or religion/belief. This is intended to address any unanticipated barriers to accessing support for our customers.

2.3 Colleagues will discuss individual needs with customers and identify reasonable and proportionate strategies to support them. Where possible, we should proactively highlight that support is available to customers we feel are having difficulty accessing our services or engaging with us.

Customer needs

3.4 Examples of customers who may require extra support due to:

• communicating differently, for example being a British Sign Language (BSL) user
• requiring regular / sustained periods in hospital
• having reduced mobility or physical difficulties
• mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety
• sight or hearing loss
• being neurodivergent, e.g. having dyslexia, dyspraxia, or autism
• cognitive difficulties, for example in relation to taking in, remembering, or responding to information
• financial difficulties which could impact their ability to pay costs or the services of a solicitor
• caring responsibilities
• experiencing bereavement or challenges such as redundancy
• digital exclusion (lack of access to technology and / or understand how to use technology)
• domestic abuse, including financial abuse such as information being withheld from them about property they own.

3.5 This list is not exhaustive and RoS will consider any request for extra support and focus on the customer support needs.

3.6 Support needs can be complex, and the extent or type of support required can change over time. This could be due to the progression of an existing condition, or varying severity of a condition or situation.

How to access this support

3.7 Customers can request extra support by calling, writing a letter, emailing, or attending a RoS building.

3.8 Customers can let RoS staff know of their requirements and, where possible, we will provide the customer’s preferred type of support. However, in some cases it may not be possible to provide the exact support a customer requests. In this case, we will explain the reason for this and will discuss and agree the support that we can provide with the customer.

3.9 We will aim to support each request for assistance on a case-by-case basis and make reasonable adjustments to assist in line with legislation and policy.

RoS Colleagues

3.10 Along with this policy there is an Extra Support for Customers – Colleague guidance. This is for internal publication only.

3.11 The Customer Services Team will meet bi-annually with the Diversity and Inclusion Lead to review customer interactions and receive up to date guidance and advice. We will record key points in a Learning Log for future reference.

3. Guiding principles

3.1 Enabling Strategic Commitment - The ESFCP is a key enabler to the delivery of RoS’ Diversity and Inclusion strategy and the Diversity Mainstreaming Report - particularly Outcome 3: Becoming a more inclusive organisation. Combined the strategy and mainstreaming outcomes give us our direction.

3.2 Ensuring Compliance – The ESFCP and supporting guidance demonstrates that by following appropriate processes and procedures RoS can meet our legislative obligations under the Equality Act 2010, The Public Sector Equality Duty and the Fairer Scotland Duty when delivering our front-line customer contacts.

3.3 Promoting Diversity and Inclusion – RoS recognise that people have different lived experiences, needs and circumstances and that they understand and express themselves in different ways. We aim to provide an inclusive service that meets these needs, for example communicating information in a way that everybody can understand. We may be able to provide communications in alternative formats including braille, large print, and other languages, including sign language.

3.4 Accessibility - RoS aims to be accessible, collaborative, transparent and keen to learn from others and to share our experiences and expertise.

4. Roles and responsibilities

4.1 Customer Services Manager is responsible for the content of this policy, its approval and review. They are responsible for ensuring its implementation in practice and for monitoring this over time. They are responsible for ensuring that appropriate procedures, guidelines, or standards as are required to support this are maintained and ownership for these assigned appropriately.

4.2 This policy should align with the customer attending RoS buildings without an appointment policy and the call recording policy.

5. Approval and review

5.1 This policy will be reviewed and approved by Customer Services Manager and the Policy & Practice Group (PPG) annually, unless earlier review is appropriate.