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Complaint handling rules have been in place for decades. But while the rules remain unchanged, much has evolved – consumer expectations, industry practices, and the FCA’s requirements. Processes can become familiar and comfortable. But that familiarity can make it harder to spot when something isn’t working as it should. Without regular review, parts of a process can drift from their intended purpose, making it challenging to identify issues until they surface. The Consumer Duty has changed how firms should approach this. The FCA expects to see a clear cultural shift in how firms behave and treat their customers.
In this session, we:
Revisit the FCA’s established complaint handling rules and the intentions behind them
Explore how the Consumer Duty affects our approach to customer complaints
Take a step back to review customer journeys – from first impressions to final outcomes.
You’ll hear insights from the facilitator, share knowledge and experiences with peers, and explore practical challenges in an open and supportive environment.
By the end of the day, delegates will:
Be clear about what the FCA’s complaint handling rules already say – and the intention behind them
Know how their firm’s current complaints process measures up against those existing rules and Consumer Duty expectations
Be able to identify opportunities to improve your customers’ experiences during the complaint handling process
What we want and need from our own processes – from insight and actions, to key performance indicators and measures of success
Whether you are seeking to upskill your team, enhance productivity or foster a culture of continuous learning, we can deliver customised training programmes designed to meet your specific needs. If you have an enquiry, you can complete the in-house form and our training team will be in touch with next steps.
Understanding the FCA’s complaint handling rules and the principles behind them
How the Consumer Duty shapes our approach to customer complaints
The importance of first impressions in the pre-complaint stage
How customers raise complaints – and what they need from the process
Supporting customers during the investigation stage – managing expectations while they wait
Strengthening communication skills throughout the customer journey
Learning from our processes – understanding what customers want and need
Caroline Wells owner, Caroline Wells Consultancy
Caroline's background has always been in customer service - and over the last 35 + years (with 20 of those at the Financial Ombudsman Service), she ha...
Caroline's background has always been in customer service - and over the last 35 + years (with 20 of those at the Financial Ombudsman Service), she has significant experience in dispute resolution, senior operational leadership, consumer vulnerability and customer experience.
Caroline runs her own consultancy business, working directly with firms and organisations across the private and public sector on all things customer service related. As well as holding a number of appointed and senior advisory roles, she also works in partnership with UK Finance to bring her real-life and current experience to members, from practical training for frontline staff to strategy-focused sessions for those overseeing customer service and complaints functions. This year Caroline was recognised on the 2025 Industry Leaders List; for her contribution to positive industry change and making a measurable difference to dispute resolution in debt recovery and enforcement.
This session is for people who manage and/or have operational and strategic oversight for complaints handling and customer service functions where customer complaints can happen.
This includes people at leadership and managerial levels across the following functions: complaints, quality assurance, compliance, customer service, new business, after sales care.
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