INSIGHT & INNOVATION

Learning from charities and their beneficiaries to do a better job for customers

We use social insight to help businesses gain first-hand insight on vulnerable and underserved customers – and to innovate with empathy.

We believe that inclusive business means products, services and customer experiences that work for everyone. There are three main ways in which we support businesses to be more inclusive through social insight.

‘Critical friends’ workshops
This takes the internal product review process and adds a layer of insight from ‘critical friends’ – experts from the third sector who can help you to establish whether a product, service or customer experience is fit for purpose for certain customer groups.
Immersive innovation
This is a three-day innovation process with a significant twist: we run it in close collaboration with an expert charity and the people it supports.
It starts with a problem or opportunity around a particular customer group – such as older people struggling with technology or those with a long-term health condition – and ends with new approaches to developing products, services and customer experiences based on deep insight and an often visceral learning experience.
People panels
People panels are for testing or validating a product, service or approach with people who are affected by certain vulnerabilities and who have useful things to say. Working closely with individual charities, we convene “pop-up” panels of up to 50 beneficiaries who are on hand for a number of weeks or months to answer questions, diarise key moments, share stories and test concepts.

You can learn more on our dedicated website for social insight – www.threehandsinsight.co.uk.

““The work with Three Hands has been enlightening; there is nothing more powerful than engaging with customers and charities to understand their needs.”

Giulia Ajello, Head of Customer Office, M&G

Insight & Innovation Case Studies

Innovating for an ageing population

14th July 2020

Understanding the financial lives of older people and co-creating transformational solutions

Ingredients: An ageing society; a business with an objective to innovate for people approaching later life; an older people’s charity; our social insight process; and lockdown!

From lived experience to customer strategy

10th March 2020

Identifying what the bank’s role should be with customers at risk of, or experiencing, gambling-related harm

“Money became my god because it allowed me to gamble” – explained one former gambling addict as we began two days of immersive innovation with Santander.

Vulnerability and pensions

13th February 2020

Understanding what drives customers’ pension decisions

Why are people cashing in their pensions at age 55 and what role does M&G have in supporting their customers?

Life Insurance and Cancer

3rd September 2018

Gaining insight on people’s experiences of cancer

The team responsible for life and critical illness products at Royal London was aware of the changing landscape of the cancer world, but wanted to learn directly from people affected – with a view to reviewing and developing their product range and enhancing customer experiences.

Innovation for older customers

12th February 2018

Understanding the pros and cons of digital banking for older people

Combine an ageing population with the digital revolution and drop in the fact that older people often represent an affluent customer base – and solutions are needed to ensure older customers are not being left behind by technology.

Over 50s product review

25th October 2016

Learning from third sector subject matter experts

This project helped Legal & General identify if a product was still fit for purpose.