Did you know that 33% of Australia’s population were born overseas and 22% of people living in Australia speak a language other than English at home? (ABS 2021).
This means that every day in Australia, millions of people are interacting with systems and processes that aren’t designed with their preferences and accessibility needs in mind. Newly arrived migrants and people with English as a second (or third or fourth) language, can find themselves facing significant challenges when interacting with product and service providers in the country.
Navigating bills, payments, support, connections and faults with utilities is complex. Additional barriers such as language, jargon and nuances in Australian policies and legislation add further complexity. Many customers are likely unaware that their utility provider offers payment support options in the first place. This is compounded further for people experiencing an added disadvantage due to language barriers.
Understanding the experiences of all Australians is critical right now, given the cost-of-living pressure that so many are experiencing. The Consumer Action Law Centre recently reported that energy bills are one of the top three areas of financial difficulty currently facing families.
The effects on migrant communities
Although all of us are feeling the pinch from the current crisis, a recent survey of refugee and migrant community leaders by settlement service AMES found that “most felt their communities were suffering greater financial stress than the broader population” (ABC News, 2024).
Even with the knowledge that payment support options are available, some migrant families may be hesitant to reach out for help in times of hardship. This can be due to the fear of losing access to essential services, or unclear associations that some services may be linked to ‘the government’. With increasingly tight Visa processes in Australia, putting your hand up for payment support might feel like drawing unnecessarily attention to your financial situation.
The LOTE Agency is committed to contributing to a deeper understanding of the challenges all Australians are experiencing when interacting with their utility providers, given that access to water, electricity and gas is vital for all.
That’s why we recently surveyed Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Australians from ten language groups on the topic, analysing 1,290 responses over an 18-month period. Our longitudinal study found that:
- 45% of respondents prefer to use phone as their initial contact channel with their Utilities providers.
- Only 32% had access to support in a language they were confident in using.
- Only 55% of respondents were satisfied with interpreting services.
Our research also found that CALD customers would find it valuable to have someone working at their utility provider, who could provide customer support in their preferred language. Respondents explained that this approach to customer service would create a streamlined experience, would avoid misunderstandings and ultimatley provide a better outcome for all.
As part of our commitment to gathering relevant community insights to inform progress, we also recently facilitated a deep-dive conversation with our National Advisory Group* addressing two key questions:
- What are the most significant cultural and/or language barriers that prevent customers from reaching out to their Water, Electricity or Gas providers for support when experiencing financial difficulties?
- How might Utilities retailers reduce these barriers?
Four key opportunity areas emerged from the session.
Key Opportunity Areas
1: Many customers are not aware of the payment support options available to them
“People might not know that they can seek support in the first place – and that it is something that could be resolved.”
“There is just too much text [on the bill]. If you’d just put a symbol of a question mark, people would know that that’s got something to do with ‘you got a question?’.
There is a general lack of information or clear communication about these options. While some organisations provide some translated materials on their website, customers need to navigate through several pages (all in English) to find them.
2: The experience of using Interpreting Services is far from ideal
“The whole process is too complicated. The explanation about interpreting services is in English, or you have to try to work through prompts in English when you call. It’s just too complicated. And then once you actually get to an interpreter, it’s also quite complicated because literally you have to talk and then wait for them to translate. It can take an hour, or more. I just couldn’t be bothered. I recently helped my mum use an interpreting service and it was a messy kind of exchange and it took much longer than it needed to.”
“To actually get to talk to someone in language is a very long process and it’s got a lot of English involved before you get to your own language – it’s too heavy English to start with.”
The panel conversation highlighted the customer challenges associated with using interpreting services. Similar insights emerged from a recent longitudinal research study commissioned by The LOTE Agency.
3: More support options need to be available
“The first thing when anyone opens a new account is to be asked, what’s your preferred language? Followed by, what’s the channel of communication you most prefer, that’s most convenient? And for example, many of the Chinese communities are on WeChat. Other CALD communities communicate a lot via the voice function on WhatsApp because they might not have enough language literacy to write – but they talk a lot on WhatsApp. Many companies in India have WhatsApp customer service channels, and people can get their bill via WhatsApp or an SMS, because the mobile device is really important.”
“A lot of the people that we work with are illiterate in their first language and in English as well – so even if text is translated, they still can’t read it. If there were QR codes that directly go to a video that they could watch to learn how to get help or learn how to access information or how to go through the channels to make payments and all that sort of stuff. They can choose their language and then all that explanation for what they need to do is step-by-step in video or recorded voice version. That would be awesome.”
“Although email is there, there’s a lot that can’t be achieved through email. If they can open up a bit more options for people to get in touch, and they’re getting the service done, that would be better”.
The panel also spoke at length about the opportunity for organisations to better leverage recent technology developments to better serve all of their customer base. One potential application is for organisations to invest in QR codes on bills that take customers directly to video messages in their preferred language.
These investments in more inclusive support options may be a potential opportunity for industry-wide collaboration to reduce cost-to-serve for all organisations, reduce aged debt, and improve the customer service experience for all customers nationwide.
4: Digital literacy is an ongoing challenge for many customers
“There might be some digital exclusion in the population to where they wouldn’t know how to access [the services] or be able to do it themselves”.
“I think digital literacy support would have a really strong return on investment for organisations, because more people would be able to read and connect, and pay their bills, and that would be brilliant.”
Low digital literacy across some diverse communities was also raised, highlighting a broader contextual issue impacting access to support services needed. Low digital literacy can also be a challenge for many older Australians in dealing with product and service providers, who often rely on their children to interpret bill information.
Whilst supporting an increase in digital literacy is likely to be considered ‘out-of-scope’ for the customer service and customer experience improvement efforts of utility retailers, it is clear that investment in this area could result in significantly better outcomes for both organisations, and customers they serve.
The take-aways
Creating a more inclusive and equitable utilities sector in Australia is not just a matter of policy but a commitment to understanding and addressing the needs of all customers, especially those from diverse backgrounds. There is a clear opportunity for utility providers across Australia to significantly enhance their approach to customer service and support. The steps we take today to simplify processes, improve access, and better leverage technology will pave the way for a more supportive and accessible future for all Australians. It is through curiosity, collaboration, and innovation that we can create a truly inclusive society where everyone can thrive.
We Can Help
Do you want to create truly inclusive experiences for all the customers and communities you serve? The LOTE Agency has been doing this work since 1998. We care deeply about seeing all Australians thrive through inclusion, and we love to chat. Reach out to explore possibilities.
Check out when The LOTE Agency featured on ABC News to talk about energy inequity.
Find out how we can help you reach all of your customers with accessible and equitable experiences. Get in touch today.
*Our National Advisory Group exists to bring deep knowledge, insight and expertise to the services we provide.
