Untangling Comms Chaos - True Story

We all know that service letters don’t get the same glory as their flashy marketing cousins, but they actually matter more than you think. These are the comms my client's customers will read because they contain crucial info about their money, pensions or even more sensitive matters like bereavement.

When I was asked by a top UK financial service provider to refresh their customer comms, I knew it’d be more than just hitting ‘refresh'. What started as a tidy-up quickly turned into a full-scale rescue mission - turning more than 100 complicated letters into something that customers will actually understand. Or even enjoy reading (imagine that!).

Nailing the Tone: Friendly Without Sounding Mate'ish

The company’s tone of voice is friendly and conversational. Great in theory, but when you’re writing to bereaved relatives or handling sensitive topics, you’ve got to add something extra.

A few no-brainers for me are:

• Making sure every letter has a warm opening and closing - puts everyone in the right frame of mind

• Using a straightforward heading so no-one needs to play detective - customers will immediately know what the letter is about and why it’s important to them

• And a logical flow with subheadings keeps readers awake long enough to reach the end where, surprise, they find out what they need to do next.

Going Above and Beyond (Because Why Stop at “Good Enough?”)

I could've taken the initial scope and left it there. But when I see how copy can be made even more intuitive, I'm all over it.

So I'm introducing QR codes for tech-savvy customers who want quick, no-fuss answers. Instead of waiting on hold for customer services, they can now just scan the code and get what they need in seconds. Simple, effective, and very 2020s.

And then there's the jargon. So. Much. Jargon. Those poor customers! So I'm creating FAQs and a clear-talking jargon buster to break down those confusing terms into plain English. Because no one should need a financial degree to understand a letter from their pension provider.

Tear It Up and Start Again

To be honest, some letters were, and are, a bit of a car crash. Over the years, new bits of info have been added by different people using different language and tones, until what should be a simple letter turns into gobbledygook.

Customers - especially those with vulnerabilities - are left wondering “what am I supposed to do with this?”. Some letters are so tangled, they feel like solving a cryptic crossword puzzle.

The only way to tackle these is to completely tear it up and start again, restructuring it with clear sections and subheadings. It might seem extreme, but sometimes it's the only way to get that logical flow which customers can easily follow.

Basically, I do the head-scratching, so customers don't have to.

Compliance vs Clarity: The Tug of War

Ah, compliance. The uninvited guest who insists on gatecrashing the party! They’ve got their way of saying things because, well, they have to follow the rules. But while they're busy checking boxes, customers are being left in the dark.

That’s where I step in. I work with compliance to find a balance between dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s while also making sure the letters make sense to the people reading them. It’s not about watering things down or trying to hide anything, it’s about keeping things simple enough that even the most vulnerable customers can follow along.

Why It Matters (Hint: It’s More Than Just Words)

Let’s face it - service letters aren’t sexy. They’re not going to win any design awards or be on the top of anyone’s highlight list. But they do matter. In fact, they might matter more than those shiny marketing campaigns because these are the letters customers actually read.

This is your chance to show customers what your brand is all about. Each letter is an opportunity to build trust, show empathy and reinforce your values. And if the letter is clear, compassionate and helpful? That’s something customers will remember and appreciate.

A Few Tips to Help You Tackle Your Customer Comms Review

1. Make it easy: For customers who don’t want to wade through paperwork, add options like QR codes, FAQs or jargon busters so they can get where they need to get fast.

2. Lose the jargon: Keep things simple without drowning in legalese. Compliance can still be followed without leaving customers scratching their heads.

3. Keep it human: Professional doesn’t have to mean cold. Find the right tone and remember, empathy goes a long way where it's appropriate.

4. See it from the customers' viewpoint: Do you understand what the comm is trying to say? If not, you can bet the customer won't either. Create clear and friendly messaging that's easy to follow.

5. Don’t be afraid to tear it up and start again: If you need to tear it up and rebuild with structure, headings and subheadings, do it. Your job is to get readers all the way to the finish line in an awake state, so they’ll actually know what to do next!

   
   

And that’s how I'm turning tangled knots of words into a logical thread of information that actually makes sense. More rewarding than coming up with any sexy tagline, trust me.

At the end of the day, communication is all about the customer.