Author Archives: Jason Kemp

money management skills

Money Management Skills – should they be compulsory at School?

Introduction

Is it time that Money Management Skills became a core part of the teaching curriculum? If Algebra, Chemistry, Drama and Languages are deemed essential, surely the ability to manage finances should be?

In an age of easy credit, consumerism, job volatility, healthcare and pension pressures, negative equity and crypto – surely young adults need to be equipped for today’s financial landscape?

The State of the UK

It’s estimated by Fair4All Finance that 20m people in the UK are financially vulnerable. This is due to a lack of savings or insurance cover (should a financial shock occur) and generally struggling to cover day to day bills.

StepChange debt charity has seen unprecedented demand for its services since Christmas. A key point to highlight is that 60% of clients are in employment!

A Complex Financial Landscape

Does the average person understand Pensions, Income Tax, Savings Tax, Estate Planning, Financial Insurance or even the tax implications of their ‘side hustle?’ Recently we have had Politicians claim they had made an honest mistake when it comes to their taxes.

The reality is that taxation in the UK is complicated, and that’s before we look at personal finance planning…

How do you develop Money Management Skills for life stages?

  • Teens & Twenties – newfound financial freedom. Enjoying consumerism including clothes, holidays, entertainment and possibly a car.
    • But did you stop to think about building a credit score and buying a house at this stage in life?
  • Thirties – settling down. Marriage, house (with mortgage), children, bigger car, and more expensive holidays (limited to school times).
    • Have you considered your pension contributions, emergency fund and building savings for the future?
  • Forties – maturing family. Bigger house required, bigger car, provision for College and University, even more expensive holidays.
    • Did you remortgage to pay for your holiday or house extension? What impact will that have on your retirement plans? If you have any yet.
  • Fifties – golden years. Family all grown up and left home. If you have your health and career now you can enjoy yourself, can’t you?
    • That pension pot is looking low. The mortgage hasn’t come down as quickly as hoped. Personal loans need paying off.
  • Sixties – big decisions to be made. Keep working until old age or cash in to enjoy your time while you have your health?
    • Equity release? How much pension can I afford to cash in? When can I retire? What about care in old age?

Although a brutal portrayal of the financial stages of life, for many people this will resonate. It’s actually quite a positive example as it doesn’t build in bereavement or unemployment. It also doesn’t account for those that are successful and financially secure. It’s geared around an average family (the typical 2+2).

The Financial Advice Landscape

There is an abundance of advice and information to assist people in how to manage their finances. The issue is that those seeking financial advice are usually savvy enough to manage their finances. Those that seek debt advice have already gone over the line.

How does the average person develop Money Management Skills? Aside from Martin Lewis or family and friends – it’s not easy. Financial Advisors tend to seek out people with wealth to invest (as they are paid a commission) and are not attracted to average people. Plus, there is no financial incentive to advise someone on how to reduce credit card debt, cancel subscriptions, switch to a cheaper supermarket etc.

The internet is a wonderful thing, but with cyber scamming, fake news and ‘influencer’ paid posts, who do you trust for advice?

By the time a person is talking to a debt management charity or organisation, the damage has been done.

Money Management Skills

At Saascoms we work closely with the Credit & Collections Industry, our award-winning software supporting both clients and customers in reducing problem debt. Omnireach is our two-way messaging platform and Resolution our self-serve debt management platform.

We believe financial education should start at an early age, from earning and managing pocket money to savings (remember the Nat West Piggy Banks!). we should teach spending within your means, understanding of interest rates, comparing and switching financial products and shopping around – just like you would for a new TV.

More complex subjects should also be tackled including life planning, insurance products to protect from unemployment or illness, savings strategies and pension planning.

We need to equip people with the skills to navigate their financial life. UK pensions are that complicated Financial Advisors take multiple exams to be able to advise on them. That’s an indication of a broken system when an essential financial product is so complicated it requires multiple exams to understand!

Conclusion

At Saascoms we are not a lobbying organisation, but the team, our families and friends have all experienced financial shocks at one time or another. We believe basic Money Management Skills within education would have a positive impact on not just individuals but the nation’s commercial awareness as a whole.

Resolution

Resolution – View Our Demonstration Video

Introduction

Resolution – the self serve debt management platform developed in 2025 by Saascoms is a revolutionary piece of software. It empowers customers by enabling them to:

  • Set up and amend repayment plans
  • Make one off or adjust payments
  • Raise disputes or initiate conversations with creditors
  • Conduct income and expenditure reviews to assist with repayment plans
  • Utilise Open Banking to support repayment plans

In addition, for clients, the benefits of the Resolution platform include:

  • Comprehensive reporting suite
  • Direct communications with customers
  • White label and simple integration
  • Pay as you use solution with little IT integration
  • 24/7/365 customer solution

To bring Resolution to life we have created a short demonstration video for you to download: and view.

Resolution 2.1 UHD 4k

Inside Edge

Inside Edge – 2025 Round Up of the Year

Introduction

As we begin 2026, I want to extend my sincere gratitude for your continued trust and collaboration throughout 2025. This past year has been both dynamic and rewarding for Saascoms. Together, we have strengthened our position as a leader in multi-channel customer engagement solutions and delivered meaningful results across the industries we serve.

Key 2025 achievements have been:

  • Delivering revenue growth, month on month.
  • 100% client retention rate.
  • On-boarding several new clients.
  • Expanding our product/service offering to our existing client base.
  • Participating in the MALG annual conference, which brought valuable insights and networking opportunities within one of our industry sectors – Financial Services.
  • Providing and expanding our educational content via our blogs, newsletters and LinkedIn posts
  • Ensuring security compliance and resilience with the transition to ISO27001 2022 and the renewal of Cyber Essentials plus.

As a final highlight to our year, in late November we won the Best Contact Centre Solution and the Machine Learning award at the annual Credit & Collection Technology Awards.

While industry recognition and awards are always appreciated, they are not what defines our success. Awards do not change our technology, our service, or the value we deliver day-to-day. They also do not determine our drive to innovate and deliver an outstanding client and customer experience.

Our Mission

What truly matters to us is the continued trust our clients place in Saascoms.  Trust that is earned every day through performance, reliability and results. This is especially meaningful because we do not rely on usage-based or long-term contractual commitments. Every client actively chooses to continue working with us because our solutions deliver real value.

We view every client as a genuine partner, not a contract. Our role is to act as an extension of your business — a support function focused on helping you meet your objectives, serve your customers better and achieve your targets with confidence.  With that in mind, we will continue to innovate and deliver for you in 2026, and as always, if you have any requirements please reach out to the team and we will be happy to assist you.

christmas financial hangover

The Post Christmas Financial Hangover

Introduction

It’s a sad and very real fact that Christmas is not just a time of great joy for people, it can also lead down a road of debt which may take the following 12 months to pay off. As a result, the Christmas financial hangover is very real. Often when reality bites in January, it can be a major problem.

Debt Management

For many households, additional spending is manageable and by the shrewd use of credit card transfers, interest free credit and staggered payments – the debt is under control. It may lead to belt tightening for the first few months of the year, but isn’t a problem. However, this may change is there is illness or redundancy for the bread winners in the family. Without suitable income protection policies, manageable debt can quickly become unmanageable.

Some households over-extend during the Christmas period, leading to completely unmanageable levels of debt which they struggle to repay once the part season ends. It’s vital these people seek support sooner rather than later, engaging with organisations such as National Debtline. The quicker debt advice is sought, the sooner it can be resolved and reduce the impact on credit ratings, additional costs and personal anxiety.

Saascoms Solutions

It’s a fact of life that people will go into debt. For some, they will need help to get back on an even keel. At Saascoms we have developed Resolution, our self-serve debt management portal which empowers customers to manage their debt.

Resolution integrates tools such as income and expenditure calculations, which can then drive repayment decisions and overall debt reduction plans. Customers can make a one off repayment, set up a regular repayment, calculate how long it will take to repay the debt and more.

For clients, Resolution offers instant reporting, a communications platform to customers and a fully branded experience for the client. It can be integrated with Saascoms award-winning platforms Mailmaster and Omnireach, for a full customer service suite.

Conclusion

Debt is a part of everyday life, and Christmas is often a catalyst for additional spending which may lead to unmanageable levels. We all have a role to play in supporting those in debt in terms of managing sustainable repayment plans and education to prevent future episodes. At Saascoms we offer solutions to support both customers and clients

 

 

right number contact

Why the Right Contact Number Matters for GDPR and Your Customer Strategy

Introduction

In our digital world customers expect instant, personalised communication, so having the right contact number might seem like a small detail. In reality, it’s one of the most important foundations for both data protection compliance and effective customer engagement.

Whether you’re running customer services, marketing campaigns, or day-to-day operations, accurate contact data is essential. Here’s why having the right contact number matters.

personal data security

Accurate Data Is a GDPR Requirement

Under the GDPR accuracy principle (Article 5), organisations are required to keep personal data accurate and up to date. That includes something as simple but as critical as a phone number.

If a number is wrong, several compliance issues can arise:

  • You may end up contacting the wrong person, which means you’re unlawfully using someone else’s personal data.
  • You may fail to reach the real data subject about important matters such as account updates or security issues.
  • You increase the risk of complaints, breaches, or regulatory scrutiny.

Correct contact information is more than good practice, it’s part of your legal obligation to protect individuals’ data and ensure it’s used appropriately.

It Strengthens Your Customer Contact Strategy

Accurate phone numbers aren’t just about compliance. They directly affect the quality and efficiency of your customer interactions.

When your data is clean and correct, you benefit from:

  • Higher contact rates for service and sales activity.
  • Reduced operational costs, as teams spend less time on failed calls.
  • Stronger customer engagement, driven by timely and relevant communication.
  • Better trust and brand perception, built through consistent and reliable outreach.
  • Improved analytics and personalisation, because your segmentation is based on accurate data.

Wrong numbers don’t just waste time, they weaken customer relationships and reduce campaign performance which in turn inflates costs.

personal data protection

Compliance and Customer Experience Go Hand in Hand

Organisations often treat GDPR and customer experience as separate priorities, but in this case, they work together.

Accurate contact data allows you to:

  • Stay compliant
  • Communicate effectively
  • Deliver better customer outcomes
  • Support a consistent, confident brand experience

In short: Accurate phone numbers = compliant data = effective engagement.

The Saascoms Solution

Maintaining the right contact number might seem like a small task, but it’s a powerful lever for protecting personal data, improving customer satisfaction, and strengthening your overall contact strategy. It’s a simple win with a big impact legally, operationally, and commercially.

At Saascoms we not only offer number validation services to clean up your data, but can take both landline and mobile combined (not a universal service). This service, then combined with our Mailmaster secure digital letters can provide an effective customer communications solution.

Christmas and the cost of living crisis

Christmas and the Cost of Living Crisis

How to keep the Festive Cheer with budget cuts and price increases

Spare a thought that around four million adults will use credit to pay for Christmas this year. Of those, 60% expect to borrow more than last year due to the cost-of-living crisis. Plus, over 40% of those using credit will take over six months to repay it and for some – it will take a year. For many families Christmas is a time of stress and financial juggling, the pressure of delivering a magical family time very real. In this blog we look at how Christmas and the cost of living crisis can be managed.

Saascoms Experience

At Saascoms we develop award-winning contact centre software which is relied upon by debt collection agencies around the globe. We understand that during most people’s lives they will encounter financial hardship at least once. Christmas is a time for family and celebration – but not worth getting into debt for.

Our Resolution platform is a self-serve debt management portal which enables customers in debt to manage repayments. It also enables customers to conduct income and expenditure checks before setting repayments – to further help with repayment plans.

Our Christmas Tips

  • Set an affordable budget and stick to it.
  • Look for preloved, nearly new and refurbished gifts to save money.
  • Take a tip from Martin Lewis and agree with friends and family not to buy gifts for each other if you can’t afford it.
  • Prioritise essential bills.
  • Shop smartly across different supermarkets taking advantage of all the offers.
  • Don’t buy too much food! If you do then freeze it, don’t throw it!
  • If you go ‘out out’ take cash – then you can’t overspend.
  • Christmas lasts a few weeks, think about the rest of 2026.
  • Buy presents that are redeemed next year – for instance reveal the family summer holiday on Christmas Day. It still feels like a gift, even if it’s in the future.

Happy Christmas

Christmas and the cost of living crisis need not spoil the festivities, either in the run up or the new year hangover. By setting a few sensible rules most families can enjoy a happy Christmas, focused on spending quality time together – not spending on credit.

Credit & Collections Technology Awards 2025

WINNERS! Credit & Collections Technology Awards 2025

The Build Up

The Credit & Collections Technology Awards 2025 was held on Thursday November 20th at The Midland Hotel in Manchester. The event celebrated the successes and achievements of organisations using technology to drive positive consumer outcomes in the industry. Held since 2017 and organised by Credit Connect, the awards are highly regarded and a key part of the industry calendar.

The Main Event

Saascoms had been shortlisted for 10 awards on the night, itself a testament to our innovative software platforms Mailmaster, Omnireach and Resolution. All three have been adopted by the Credit & Collections industry to support contact centres and customer service teams when dealing with consumers in debt.

At the awards ceremony Saascoms received two awards:

  • Contact Centre Solution – for Omnireach, our omnichannel digital contact centre software platform.
  • Machine Learning in Credit & Collections – for the AI engine that powers Omnireach and delivers AI solutions to speed up resolutions and reduce administration.

Awards History

Saascoms has a strong history at the Credit & Collections Technology Awards, first winning in 2019 for Customer Engagement Solution. This was followed up in 2021 and 2022 with the Artificial Intelligence Award.

From 2022 through to 2025 Saascoms has consistently been the winner of the Contact Centre Solution. This is a unique achievement and testament to the excellence of our Omnireach platform. Four awards in any industry is an exceptional result!

In addition Saascoms in 2023 and 2024 Saascoms was awarded the ‘Premier Power Company’ in the Credit & Technology Awards. To achieve this we beat 250 organisations including the likes of British Gas, Admiral, Natwest Group and Virgin Money.

We await a final decision on our position for 2025…

Looking Ahead

Although awards do not drive Saascoms to produce industry leading software for contact centre and customer services – they do help! Awards reaffirm our position to our clients that we offer market leading solutions. Our success at the Credit & Collections Technology Awards 2025 is therefore appreciated.

Saascoms is based on innovation, developing existing and new solutions, adapting technologies and implementing them to deliver real client benefits. Get in touch for a demo of our award winning software solutions.

 

 

 

Money Advice Liaison Group Conference

Money Advice Liaison Group Conference 2025

Introduction

On Thursday November 13th, Saascoms attended the Money Advice Liaison Group Conference 2025 at the Aspire Building in Leeds. Our first trip as either a delegate or exhibitor, Saascoms was represented by founders Paul Nield and Darren Swailes.

Delegates from across the credit and debt services industry were in attendance, from companies looking to manage arrears, to organisations offering help to those requiring financial assistance.

MALG Conference 2025

Conference Format

The MALG Conference is a one-day event and combines an exhibition with 20+ stands, keynote speakers, seminars and networking opportunities. Approximately 200 delegates from across the industry are in attendance. The conference has been held since 1987!

Saascoms were in attendance with our branded stand and video demonstrations of our key software platforms including Resolution, Mailmaster and Omnireach. All prepared by Nuddy Media Marketing.

MALG Conference 2025

Highlights

To encourage visitors to our stand, Saascoms offered the chance to win a Samsung Galaxy Tab for anyone who signed up to our monthly newsletter. This was a great way to drive traffic to the stand. Throughout the day we had a number of productive conversations with utility companies, collection agencies and support groups. You can sign up to our newsletter HERE.

The event was highly organised, well attended and had a packed programme of activities. The seminars ranged from AI to Consumer Protection, all subjects complementary to the MALG mission of ‘working together to improve the lives of people with problem debt.’

MALG Conference 2025

Follow Up

With the dust settling on the Money Advice Liaison Group Conference 2025 Saascoms is busy following up on conversations, Linking In with new contacts and about to make the draw for the Samsung Galaxy Tablet. The conference has helped raise our profile even further, to new potential clients and partners. Time will tell if the conference has paid for itself and we return in 2026.

Money Advice Liaison Group Conference

Tap

How Saascoms Can Help Water Companies Meet Ofwat Pay Fair Guidelines

Introduction

The Ofwat “Pay Fair” Guidelines place fairness, transparency and empathy at the heart of how water companies engage with customers. Especially those customers facing financial difficulties or vulnerability. For the water sector, this means ensuring every customer receives clear communication, flexible payment options, and tailored support.

Saascoms is a UK-based developer of award-winning communication and customer engagement software. We provide contact centre software and debt management platforms which provide digital self-serve tools for customer account management. Our platforms include Omnireach, Mailmaster, and Resolution. 

water treatment

Credit & Collections Pedigree

For the last two years Saascoms has been Number 1 in the Credit & Technology Awards Power 250, testament to our experience and expertise in the industry. This primarily down to:

1. Proactive, Empathetic Communication

Omnireach centralises all digital communication channels including SMS, email, WhatsApp, social media, and webchat into a single platform. This would enable Water Companies to engage customers in their preferred way, at their chosen time, with messages that are consistent, traceable, and compliant.

Using AI-driven sentiment analysis and natural language processing, Omnireach can:

  • Identify vulnerable customers early, in line with Ofwat’s fairness and inclusivity principles.
  • Detect language indicating financial distress, bereavement, or health issues.
  • Automatically signpost customers to relevant support, such as payment plans or external advice services before escalation.

This ensures every customer is treated with empathy, consistency, and speed, fulfilling Ofwat Pay Fair Guidelines “getting help to those who need it most.”

2. Flexible Self-Service Payment Options

Saascoms’ Resolution is a self-serve debt management platform giving customers full control of their accounts. It may be white-labelled for Water Company customers to:

  • View balances and billing details in real time.
  • Complete income and expenditure assessments.
  • Set up or adjust affordable payment plans using Open Banking.
  • Raise disputes, upload documents, or speak with an agent via secure webchat.

By empowering customers to self-manage payments 24/7, Water Companies can meet Ofwat’s guidance to “provide flexible options that prevent debt build-up and support affordability.”

3. Data Security and Regulatory Confidence

All Saascoms systems are ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials Plus and G-Cloud accredited, with data hosted securely in the UK. This ensures compliance with GDPR and Ofwat’s data handling expectations, while giving both customers and providers peace of mind that sensitive information including financial or health-related data is protected.

4. Identifying and Supporting Vulnerable Customers

Saascoms’ AI technology identifies over 97% of vulnerable customers for its existing utility clients. By analysing over 150 million real customer interactions, our algorithms recognise key triggers that indicate vulnerability, such as language related to anxiety, income loss, or illness.

Once detected, the workflow automatically prioritises these customers, routing them to trained agents or support services. This proactive approach aligns with Ofwat’s call for “a consistent, compassionate response to customers in vulnerable circumstances.”

5. Enhancing Efficiency and Reducing Cost-to-Serve

Digital engagement reduces paper costs, speeds up response times, and allows teams to focus on complex cases. For one client, Saascoms’ solutions cut digital response times by over 90% and increased vulnerable customer identification by 10–20%.

For Water Companies, this means:

  • Lower administrative overheads.
  • Fewer missed payments and disputes.
  • Improved customer satisfaction and trust.

6. Transparent, Measurable Outcomes

All interactions within Saascoms platforms are fully auditable, giving companies the ability to evidence fairness, consistency, and compliance, a crucial requirement under the Pay Fair guidelines. Dashboards provide real-time reporting on outcomes such as resolution times, payment conversions, and customer sentiment trends.

water fight at the beach

Conclusion

Water companies are under increasing pressure to balance financial resilience with social responsibility. By leveraging Saascoms’ digital engagement and AI platforms, providers can ensure they communicate with empathy, empower customers through choice, and meet every element of Ofwat’s Pay Fair expectations, all while improving operational efficiency.

Fairness, flexibility, and future-proof digital engagement — that’s the Saascoms way.

Business SMS Messaging

Business SMS Pricing – Ofcom Announces New Measures

Introduction

Business SMS pricing – Ofcom announces stability in the pricing market until the end of 2028. Great news for every bulk SMS user. If you regularly use bulk SMS services, you may have noticed that regardless of your aggregator or supplier, charges are subject to change without notice. Over the last few years, Ofcom noticed the level, frequency and notice period that Mobile Network Operators were increasing prices was unacceptable.

What’s Changed?

The charges apply to the A2P SMS Termination or ‘Application to Person Short Messaging Services.’ In a nutshell, this leads to an increase in SMS rates. Following an Ofcom review, network providers have come to a voluntary arrangement which should protect customers until the end of 2028. This includes:

  • Only one price rise per annum.
  • Price rises to be capped at an agreed level with Ofcom.
  • Minimum 60 days notice of price rises.

For Saascoms and our clients, these new agreements will provide greater price stability, fewer shocks and enable more effective campaign planning. As a result, txtpro, our bulk SMS solution continues to be a perfect platform for small and SME businesses. and we can ensure business SMS pricing is kept transparent and remove volatility.

What’s The Impact?

Businesses can now plan bulk SMS campaigns safe in the knowledge that there should not be any mid business SMS price increases. This is a real benefit for a communications medium that is proven to deliver results.

Did you know that 98% of UK adults have a mobile phone? And did you know 93% of those receiving a text message read it within 5 minutes? How powerful is that as a form of advertising?

We have developed txtpro to be an easy to use, self-service platform for businesses of all sizes. And of course it’s competitively priced and based on a pay as you go model.

To Finish

At Saascoms we provide bulk SMS solutions for all types of business. Our txtpro self serve platform enables our clients to create and send campaigns with ease. Get in touch for a demo or more information.