Dimension 4: Treat clients responsibly

Treating vulnerable clients in a responsible manner should be the bare minimum requirement for providers. This means protecting clients from over-indebtedness, treating clients fairly and respectfully, ensuring their privacy, resolving their complaints, and using transparent prices. Dimension 4 has five standards:

Prevention of overindebtedness

Avoiding over-indebtedness means aligning all steps in the credit process - from design, appraisal, monitoring and reporting - to ensure that client debt does not exceed their capacity to repay. 

Transparency

Transparency means giving your clients the right information at the time and in the right way, so they can clearly understand and take informed decisions. This includes providing transparent information on product pricing, terms and conditions. 

Fair and respectful treatment of clients 

Providers should define clear values around fair and respectful treatment of clients, and enshrine these in policy and practice. Respect for vulnerable clients in especially important in the sales and collection processes. 

Privacy of client data 

Ensuring the privacy of clients' data means having the right technological systems in place, and informing clients about their rights and responsibilities. 

Mechanisms for complaint resolution 

Financial service providers (FSPs) should value, encourage, and resolve client complaints in a swift, fair and transparent manner. Not only will this improve client trust, but provide a useful source of feedback about your products, services and staff.