Suncorp praised its partnership with community service organisations Uniting and Scope and says it provides the insurer with vital feedback in achieving better customer outcomes.

The community organisers spoke at Suncorp’s fifth annual Consumer Advocate Day, providing insight into improvements the insurer can make to its service.

The partnership allows Uniting and Scope to review and provide feedback for modifications to enhance the consumer experience.

Uniting conducted its first review in 2018, which led to “transformational change” in improving Suncorp’s customer service.

It says investments in specialist teams for vulnerable customers and improvements in customer liaison were critical changes made by the company.

“Uniting acknowledges and congratulates Suncorp on its commitment to leading and delivering transformational change across the Suncorp Group, and more broadly within the banking and insurance industries,” Uniting representative Adam McConvell said.

Scope’s review focused on improvements in Suncorp’s customer access to its service, product, and system.

Suncorp Group Customer Advocate Michelle Bain says that reviews have been influential in improving the insurer’s product.

“While it is great to receive acknowledgement that we are making meaningful change, we know there is a lot more work to do, which is why the conversations at Consumer Advocate Day are so important,” Ms Bain said.

Suncorp’s Consumer Advocate Day encourages an open dialogue between customer representative groups and industry professionals to identify industry concerns better and have consumer voices heard.

Representatives from Financial Counselling Australia and Legal Aid NSW were in attendance with recent floods, natural hazard resilience, and improved accessibility to services, among the key topics discussed.

“It was great to spend time with consumer advocates discussing the headwinds facing our customers and the opportunities we have to continually improve the support we provide to our customers in the moments that matter,” Ms Bain said.

Suncorp thanked all attendees and said it would incorporate feedback from the event into its existing program to create better customer outcomes.