Treating Customers Fairly (TCF)

Treating Customers Fairly (TCF)

The customer is at the centre of what we do at e-car lease. Treating customers fairly is a culture which is not only essential to our day-to day-operations but which is compulsory for the long-term growth and development of our vehicle leasing business. All of the team here consistently strive to exceed our customers’ expectations throughout the duration of the process.

We believe that the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Treating Customers Fairly (TCF) principles not only compliment our existing approach, they also encourage us to continually monitor, assess and evolve in a changing environment where a customer’s needs and interests must be met. For more information, please visit the FCA's Fair Treatment of Customers page.

FCA consumer outcomes

• Outcome 1: Consumers can be confident they are dealing with firms where the fair treatment of customers is central to the corporate culture.
• Outcome 2: Products and services marketed and sold in the retail market are designed to meet the needs of identified consumer groups and are targeted accordingly.
• Outcome 3: Consumers are provided with clear information and are kept appropriately informed before, during and after the point of sale.
• Outcome 4: Where consumers receive advice, the advice is suitable and takes account of their circumstances.
• Outcome 5: Consumers are provided with products that perform as firms have led them to expect, and the associated service is of an acceptable standard and as they have been led to expect.
• Outcome 6: Consumers do not face unreasonable post-sale barriers imposed by firms to change product, switch provider, submit a claim or make a complaint.

In achieving the above, we must not only observe all of the legal and regulatory requirements but we must also:

• Provide clear information to the customer from the outset of the process – Financial products can be complex and difficult to understand. Our aim is to provide customers with simple and clear guidance on the financial products they are able to procure with e-car lease. We aim to facilitate a firm understanding of what each product is, so that a customer can make an informed decision based upon their needs and circumstances.
• Assess the products and services we offer on a regular basis to ensure we can meet the current and future demands – We accept that the financial services market is constantly changing and the suite of products offered may need to be adjusted based on new practices and approaches.
• Invest in staff training – The continued growth and development of our staff is essential to ensure our administration, sales and management team are competent to treat our customers fairly. All of the team are critical in delivering a positive experience and sustaining our culture and values.
• Enable our staff to identify a concern or complaint and to have the requisite infrastructure to manage that complaint properly - We must manage all customer concerns and complaints in an honest and open manner. We endeavour to conduct all proceedings promptly and reasonably, so that every customer is afforded the ability to resolve this with us or, as necessary, a third party. (For more information, please see our Complaints Procedure.)

In addition to the statements above, please be assured that we continue to develop the business and our standards by:

• Internal audits;
• External audits; and
• Regular management meetings.

e-car lease are committed to ensuring that our customers enjoy their experience with us from the initial stages through to delivery and beyond. Our level of commitment does not end when a customer receives the vehicle; this is when the process truly starts. Until that vehicle is returned, every customer can be assured of sales and administrative support as we endeavour to exceed expectations time after time.

Vulnerable customers

At e-car lease, it is our aim to ensure that all customers are treated fairly in line with the FCA guidance. Protecting vulnerable consumers is a key focus and e-car lease will take appropriate action to respond to the needs of customers with characteristics of vulnerability.