Trusted customer operations don't happen by accident. They are built through effective governance, confident frontline colleagues, intelligent use of technology and an organisational culture that enables the right decisions to be made every day. As fraud, financial crime and customer expectations continue to evolve, organisations need a better understanding of how prepared they really are.


That's why CCA, in collaboration with Smartnumbers, has developed the Fraud & Risk Capability Framework.


Beyond Fraud Prevention

Whilst fraud prevention may be the catalyst, the challenge facing organisations today extends far beyond specialist fraud teams. Every customer interaction presents an opportunity to build trust, protect vulnerable customers and make informed decisions that balance security with excellent customer service.


Whether it's identifying unusual behaviour, supporting a vulnerable customer, responding to a potential scam or using AI responsibly, frontline colleagues play an increasingly important role in protecting both customers and organisations.


The question is no longer simply "Do we have effective fraud controls?" It's "Are we equipping our people, processes and technology to deliver trusted customer operations?"


Understanding Capability

The Fraud & Risk Capability Framework has been developed to help organisations answer that question. The self-assessment explores the organisational capabilities that underpin trusted customer operations, including:

  • Fraud Prevention
  • Data & AI
  • Operational Governance
  • Culture & Colleague Capability


Participating organisations receive a personalised Fraud & Risk Capability Profile, providing an independent overview of current capability together with opportunities for further development. Rather than measuring individual performance, the framework provides a strategic view of the organisational practices, behaviours and capabilities that help prevent fraud, strengthen customer protection and support confident frontline decision-making.


Defining What Good Looks Like

For more than 30 years, CCA has worked with industry to define, develop and independently assess the standards that underpin customer excellence. This initiative extends that work into one of the fastest-moving areas affecting customer operations today.


Working alongside Smartnumbers, specialists in fraud prevention and trusted communications, we're bringing together organisations from across the CCA community to build a clearer understanding of the capabilities that help organisations protect customers whilst continuing to deliver outstanding customer service.


As organisations participate, we'll begin to identify:

  • emerging areas of best practice
  • common capability strengths and development priorities
  • opportunities for collaboration and shared learning
  • future industry benchmarking
  • practical examples of innovation and operational excellence


The insights will inform future CCA research, thought leadership, member events and best practice resources, helping organisations understand not only where they are today, but where the industry is heading.


Raising the Standard Together

The more organisations that participate, the richer the picture becomes. Over time, we'll showcase examples of leading practice, share practical learning from across the membership and continue to evolve the standards that support trusted customer operations. Protecting customers is no longer simply about managing fraud. It's about creating organisations where governance, technology, leadership and frontline capability work together to build confidence, resilience and trust.


Whether your organisation is just beginning its journey or has an established fraud and risk strategy, we'd encourage you to take part. Together, we can help define what trusted customer operations look like for the future.

Complete your Fraud & Risk Capability Assessment today