How do you keep call center costs down? You could:
- Track agents’ performance
- Address training needs
- Change up staffing models
- Consider outsourcing
No doubt you’re already looking into a few of these. But there’s something that many organizations overlook, that could make a huge difference to your bottom line. And it’s so simple. Use plain language in your communications.
Plain language cuts through the noise
Think about why customers call you. They are busy people, like you, with lives full of deadlines, school drop-offs, tax forms to file, coffee with friends. The last thing they want to do is phone their bank. So why do they call? Because they need answers. To continue the banking example, perhaps they’re unclear on their loan structure. Maybe they didn’t understand certain details of your terms and conditions. Or perhaps they’re having trouble completing a form. PLAIN, the network supporting the use of clear communication in government writing, says it best:
Words matter. Communicating in plain language results in less customer confusion. This leads to fewer questions and a reduced workload for your call center. But that’s not all. For those who embrace plain language, the benefits don’t stop there.
Some call center case studies
Need convincing? We’ve got a couple of case studies to show how this works in practice. Recently, one of our insurance clients improved their benefit letters using VT Writer, part of VT Insights Platform. We analyzed some letters, and our system automatically flagged:
- Long sentences
- Passive voice
- Industry jargon
- Poor readability
The letters were overly complex and difficult to consume. Our client made the necessary changes and sent out new benefit letters written in plain language. The result? A drop of 19% in customer calls, and a saving of $325k annually.
In another example, a government agency eliminated “tax speak” from their notices. A 10-page notification package full of jargon-laden terms and “frightening” vocabulary became engaging notices written in plain English. Taxpayer confusion dropped by 50%, and they saw a 23% drop in call center traffic. Not only that, but taxpayers became more willing to part with their money. The simple act of using plain language humanized the whole process and made people more inclined to pay up. The result was a 3% increase in people paying within four weeks.
