PPC123 | TECHNICAL

Louise Baxter MBE, Head of the National Trading Standards Scams Team , Joint CEO of Consumer Friend and Non-Executive Director at TrustMark, talks about the importance of recognising consumer vulnerability, and how pest professionals can make a difference in the homes they visit every day.

When I start talking about consumer vulnerability, people often assume I’m here to spoil their day. “Here we go,” they think, “another box-ticking exercise about how to be nice.”

But this about something very real: how we can spot when a customer needs extra support, protect our businesses from unnecessary complaints, and, most importantly, help people who might not have anyone else looking out for them.

The reality of vulnerability

A survey by NICE recently found that over two-thirds of UK consumers show one or more characteristics of potential vulnerability. That’s not a small niche group - that’s most of the people we deal with.

When I started in trading standards back in 2002, the definition of “vulnerable” was outdated: someone weak, frail, probably old, and easily hurt. Today, we know vulnerability is far more complex. It isn’t about age or weakness. It’s about circumstance.

A person might be living with dementia. They might be struggling financially, recently bereaved, lonely, or simply overwhelmed by a stressful life event. Vulnerability can be visible or invisible. And here’s the big one: any of us can be vulnerable at any time.

I learned that the hard way when I went through a divorce. It wasn’t until years later that I realised how much that situation clouded my judgement. I made decisions that, looking back, I’d never make now. That’s situational vulnerability – when life knocks you sideways for a bit, and your usual filters don’t work properly.

Why this matters to pest professionals

You might be wondering, “What’s this got to do with pest control?”Everything, actually.

Pest professionals go into people’s homes - sometimes the only visitor that person has had in weeks. You might see neglect, signs of hoarding, loneliness, even abuse. You might notice that a customer doesn’t quite understand what you’ve told them, or seems unusually anxious.

Ignoring those signs isn’t just unkind: it’s risky. Misunderstandings can lead to complaints, reputational damage or worse. But handled properly, these situations are an opportunity to show professionalism and empathy that sets you apart from competitors.

It’s also worth remembering that, for most consumers, having a pest problem is a first-time experience. They’re marketplace-vulnerable. They don’t know what questions to ask, how long treatment should take, or what it should cost. And because they’re stressed (“rats in the loft” does that to people), they’re not necessarily taking everything in.

So, start from the assumption that every new customer is vulnerable until proven otherwise. It’s not about treating people like they’re fragile; it’s about recognising that stress, confusion or fear can make anyone more likely to make poor decisions or feel overwhelmed.

Spotting the signs

Vulnerability doesn’t wear a badge. It might show up as confusion, irritability, avoidance, or over-compliance. The trick is to listen and observe. Ask yourself:

• Can the customer repeat back what I’ve said, in their own words?
• Do they seem distracted or confused?
• Are they telling me about a major life event – divorce, bereavement, job loss – that might be affecting their judgement?
• Is there something about their environment that signals they may need extra time or reassurance?

I use a simple acronym REAL to remember how to respond:

• Retain: can they retain and repeat information?
• Evaluate: can they explain their decision?
• Access: can they access and understand what’s being said?
• Listen: are they genuinely engaged, or just nodding along?

If any of those flags go up, slow things down. Re-explain. Offer information in writing. Summarise what’s been agreed and leave them with a copy. It’s not complicated – it’s just good customer service with a human touch.

Plain English, please

One of my personal crusades is against what I call “big-word syndrome”.

We have this terrible British habit of thinking we sound clever if we speak in complicated words and jargon. In reality, we’re just blocking half the room from the conversation. 

The average UK reading age is nine to twelve. That means if you can’t explain your service to a Year 7 pupil, you’re probably not explaining it clearly enough.

Write and speak plainly. No more than 25 words in a sentence. Avoid acronyms unless you’re sure the other person knows them. If you say “TRB in accordance with CRRU guidelines” and your customer’s eyes glaze over, that’s on you, not them.

When life gets messy

We all have moments when we’re vulnerable: illness, grief, divorce, redundancy. And sometimes, that vulnerability comes with shame or secrecy. People don’t like being labelled. It’s why I always say don’t call someone “vulnerable”, recognise that they’re living with vulnerability.

It’s a subtle but powerful shift. Telling someone “you’re vulnerable” is like telling a drunk person they’re drunk. You’ll get pushback. Instead, focus on the situation, not the person: “It sounds like things have been difficult recently; how can I make this easier for you?”

I’ve trained over 13,000 people in this, and the number one fear is saying the wrong thing. But vulnerability isn’t a minefield. It’s an everyday human experience. You can’t fix someone’s life, but you can make your corner of it a bit easier to navigate.

The loneliness epidemic

One of the most heartbreaking aspects of my work is how often loneliness turns up in the data. Did you know that being lonely has the same health impact as smoking fifteen cigarettes a day?

That means when you chat to a customer who hasn’t spoken to anyone all week, you might literally be improving their health just by showing kindness. A technician spending twenty minutes explaining a treatment calmly and clearly might be the best conversation that the customer has all month. Never underestimate that.

Organisational blind spots

Every business has them. You might be brilliant at safety training and health checks, but what about dementia awareness or mental health first aid? Vulnerability isn’t static. The pressures change – cost of living, digital exclusion, AI, scams, you name it. The most resilient organisations regularly review their blind spots: complaints, feedback, near misses. If one customer struggled with a form, others probably will too. Fix it once and you’ll help many.

Neurodiversity and communication

Around one in seven people in the UK is neurodivergent, and most won’t tell you. That’s why inclusive communication (calm tone, clear structure, simple text, and options for how information is received) helps everyone, not just those with diagnosed conditions.

Designing for everyone

When we design services with vulnerability in mind, we actually make them better for everyone.

Take the bendy straw. Invented so hospital patients could drink without lifting a cup. Or drop kerbs, originally for wheelchair users but now a blessing for anyone with a buggy or trolley. Or Alexa, designed for visually-impaired users but now helping millions of households keep life in order.

That’s the idea of inclusive design: if you build with empathy from the start, the whole system works better. Think about how you take bookings, how you communicate before a visit, what your reports look like, and whether your website is accessible on a mobile phone.The easier you make it for the most vulnerable person to understand you, the easier it will be for everyone else.

Looking after yourself

There’s one last piece we often forget: you can’t pour from an empty cup.

Dealing with vulnerable consumers can take an emotional toll. I’ve seen it in trading standards, and you may have seen it too in pest control. 

When you witness distressing situations (neglect, hoarding, loneliness), it sticks with you. Make sure you and your staff have a way to debrief. Talk to someone. Get support if you need it.

Shifting the question

I’ll leave you with a thought I often end training with: Instead of asking, “What’s wrong with this person?” ask, “What can I do differently?”

If a customer can’t access your service or understand your explanation, that’s not a failing on their part – it’s a design flaw in ours.

Every small change you make – clearer paperwork, a calmer tone, an extra five minutes on a visit makes your business more inclusive, more professional and, ultimately, more successful.

Quick wins for your business

• Give everyone basic awareness of mental health, safeguarding and scams
• Test your documents on a 12-year-old (or a chatbot set to “write for a 12-year-old”)
• Write “prefers large-print reports” instead of “visually impaired.”
• Email, post, phone, text – let people pick what works for them
• Treat complaints as free training. If one customer struggled, others will too.