3 Best Practices for Customer Communications

3 Best Practices for Customer Communications.

1. Focus on the customer experience.
   We typically think of bills and statements as being outside of the customer journey, but they may be one of the most important customer communications.  Bills and statements are your monthly opportunity to connect with customers about the services and products they receive from you, as well as pique their interest about new services and products.  Whether you send physical or digital bills and statements, you have to think about how these communications fit into the customer journey to maximize the experience.
2. Consider the print-to-digital journey.
   Our clients often express a desire to make a quick switch from print to digital, which can work in some cases, but I suggest thinking about how print and digital can work together.  Our research has shown that consumers are hesitant to give up paper bills because they rely on them as reminders to pay. To make the leap from print to digital, you need to offer customers the benefits they derive from print but in a digital format; in this case, offer them digital reminders to pay their bills, such as text messages, calendar alerts, etc.  It’s about creating a convenient omni-channel experience that meets their needs.
3. Leverage the power of your customer’s network.
   If we put ourselves in the shoes of our customer, we realize we are just one of many providers in their life.  On average, a household receives approximately 25-30 different transactional communications a month.  This number can be as high as 60 different provider communications over the course of a year.  When it comes to digital communications, the challenge has been that many providers ask their customers to visit their company website, create a unique profile, take action, etc., putting the burden on the customer.  When it comes to print communications, everything is simply delivered to one location – the customer’s mailbox.

How do we replicate the convenience of print in a digital world?  We make it as easy as possible for customers.  For example, your customer is notified when their bill is available in their preferred channel and then they just click to pay, set a reminder, etc.  When this experience is applied across 25-30 relationships, the benefits become apparent.  Now, imagine multiplying that across 5,000 brands, working together to drive connections and simplify digital adoption.  That’s what we call the Broadridge Network Effect. 

By taking a customer-centric approach – and delivering relevant information on your monthly bill or statement to the channels of their choice – your customers will continue to reward you with their business.