Imagine an interaction you simply can't avoid: dealing with a government service, filing an insurance claim, or managing a tax obligation. In these high-stakes, involuntary experiences, there's no opting out. And yet, the design for these interactions often falls short of meeting people's real needs, leading to stress, frustration, and eroded trust.

High-stakes experiences require a fundamentally different approach to usual customer experience. They need to focus less on delight and more on empathy, consistency, transparency, and genuine support.

Drawing from our work with New Zealand Inland Revenue (NZIR) and the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide (RCDVS), here are five strategies to transform mandatory interactions into supportive, trust-building moments.

1. Start with Empathy

Empathy becomes essential in high-stakes settings where customers feel vulnerable or disempowered. Designing with empathy means creating processes that consider the whole person, including their needs, emotions and context.

Real-world impact: With RCDVS, our team used empathy mapping and trauma-informed workshops to understand the emotional needs of veterans and their families. This approach helped us design touchpoints that felt supportive rather than transactional, allowing users to access sensitive personal information while feeling respected and understood.

Why it works:

• Reduces anxiety and builds trust: People feel seen and understood, making the process less daunting.
• Improves engagement: When processes align with what people genuinely need, compliance and cooperation naturally improve.

2. Build Consistency with Service Patterns

Consistency is fundamental to building trust. High-stakes interactions often involve multiple touchpoints and if each one feels different, people can easily become frustrated or confused. Service patterns create a reliable framework that people can depend on, regardless of how they're interacting.

Real-world impact: For RCDVS, we developed service patterns to streamline how veterans and their families accessed information. By creating structured processes, we ensured that every interaction – whether online, by phone, or in person – followed the same respectful, supportive approach.

Why it works:

• Reduces friction: People know what to expect, making interactions smoother and more predictable.
• Increases efficiency: Consistent service patterns improve response times and make the experience more resilient across channels.

3. Use Community-Informed Communication to Rebuild Trust

Communication in high-stakes settings should be clear, respectful, and community-informed. By involving affected people in the design process, you can create messaging that feels transparent and empowering rather than bureaucratic or impersonal.

Real-world impact: In NZIR’s debt collection transformation, we shifted to a more supportive, human tone. This change resulted in a $62 million increase in debt recovery, as customers felt more understood and were more willing to engage proactively with the process.

Why it works:

• Strengthens trust: When communication feels supportive rather than punitive, people are more likely to cooperate.
• Encourages positive engagement: People are more willing to participate when they feel respected and valued.

4. Bring in Expert Advisors for Service Strategy and Evaluation

Some high-stakes interactions, like complex government services, need a higher level of strategic input. Expert advisors can help guide service delivery strategies, ensuring they meet the unique needs of high-stakes environments.

Real-world impact: For a State Statutory Authority, our advisory board's input was instrumental. They helped us incorporate best practices, align service standards with regulatory requirements, and ensure that every process was trauma-sensitive.

Why it works:

• Adds strategic insight: Expert guidance keeps strategies focused and effective.
• Aligns with best practices: Informed input ensures that services meet industry standards and stakeholder expectations.

5. Personalise Support with Data-Driven Insights

In high-stakes settings, people want to feel like they're being treated as individuals, not just another case number. Using data to personalise support helps organisations anticipate needs and provide more tailored assistance.

Real-world impact: For NZIR, we used data insights to identify moments when customers were likely to need extra support. This proactive approach allowed NZIR to address issues before they escalated, improving both customer satisfaction and outcomes.

Why it works:

• Reduces frustration: Personalised support makes people feel cared for and reduces uncertainty.
• Improves satisfaction: Anticipating needs ensures people get the help they need, when they need it.

Turning Obligation into Opportunity

Transforming high-stakes, involuntary interactions into positive experiences isn't just possible – t's essential for building public trust. By designing with empathy, building consistency, fostering respectful communication, involving expert advisors, and personalising support, organisations can create processes that reduce stress while building trust and cooperation. The result is better outcomes for everyone involved.

Interested in learning more about how we approach high-stakes customer experiences? Contact our team to discuss your unique challenges.