SOCIAL INSIGHT

Innovation driven by expertise from non-profits

There is untapped expertise amongst charities on issues of relevance to businesses and their customers. We call it social insight.

Using social insight involves drawing upon this expertise to create more inclusive business.

The first application is for innovation. It’s a way to understand customers, from those deemed vulnerable and under-served – older people, those with disabilities, people experiencing long-term health problems and those in financial hardship, for example – to the mainstream customer base, and to create new and improved products and services.

Then there is customer experience. Social insight can help call centre staff relate better to customers’ situations and can help to make written and online communications more user-friendly.

Finally, it can improve employee wellbeing, contributing to a great place to work culture by helping businesses to understand employees’ needs and circumstances in areas such as mental health, disability and caring roles at home.

Our approach is based around a five-step innovation process, implemented in partnership with a non-profit subject matter expert, that goes from defining an opportunity and experiencing deep immersion in an issue, to generating ideas and designing prototypes and solutions.

Have a look at the report from our Social Insight breakfast session.

“What business wouldn’t want ‘critical friends’ as part of an innovation process to make sure its products and services are fit for purpose and wider reaching? Three Hands is expert at sourcing the right critical friends from the third sector and running a process that will benefit them, your business and your customers.”

Graham Precey, Head of Corporate Responsibility & Ethics, Legal & General

Social Insight Case Studies

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.

Product and Service Innovation

5th September 2017

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.

Vulnerable Customers

25th October 2016

Understanding customers and learning from charities

This project helped aimed to help Legal & General to identify customer vulnerabilities and ways of responding.