Amazingly Simple Stuff

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Amazingly Simple Stuff
Plain English Symposium 2008
November 7, 2008
Presentation by Irene Etzkorn
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Simple stuff sells
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Real Simples mission is to edit life for
their readers.
Source Kristin van Ogtrop, Managing Editor of
Real Simple
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ING Direct
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Arkadi Kuhlmann Chairman, President and CEO of
ING Direct USA

• The busier life gets, the more value there is in
  simplicity as a point of competitive
  differentiation.

Its good for American society, not just good
business sense. Simplicity and clarity make us
more productive.
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Google home page
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Marissa Mayer Director of Consumer Web Products
at Google

• How does she fend off those who would muddy or
  clutter the home page?

We audition new features on the advanced search
page first.
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Less is more

• Then, it goes through a scoring system
• They assign a point each time there is a change
  in type style, type size or color.
• They add up the points the maximum allowed for a
  promotion is 3 points.
• The goal is the fewest possible number of points.
  
• Mayer says, More points less simplicity.

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Philips Electronics

• 30 of home-networking products are returned
  because people cant get them to work.
• 48 of people have put off buying a digital
  camera because they see them as too complicated.
• Philips asked 1,650 consumers and 180 corporate
  customers in 8 countries, to identify big
  societal issues that the company should respond
  to. Complexity and fear of technology were the
  sore points.

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Andrea Ragnetti, Corporate Marketing Officer,
Philips

• Philips is touching the core of people through
  simplicity.

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Its the blend of art and science that Simplicity
requires which touches people viscerally.
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What does simple mean?

• simple is clear.

• simple is fresh.

• simple is honest.

• simple is useful.

• simple is inspiring.

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Why are things so complicated?
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Industries talking to themselves
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They dont want you to know
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The stranglehold of legalese
Using the word not three times and included
twice in one sentence creates a brain twister.
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Working at cross-purposes
Right now, its like were trying to keep people
out of college, not get them in The whole thing
is, You want to go to college? Here are seven
pages of bureaucracy, and heres what youre
going to have to do to get it. As opposed to,
Heres a simple way to do it, and heres what
were going to do for you, so you can get it.
Its the whole psychology.
Margaret SpellingsU.S. Education Secretary
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The world is increasingly complex
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Dont take our word for it This isnt just our
opinion
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Perplexity reigns

• Internet survey developed by SiegelGale
• 17 commonly-used documents rated on clarity and
  ease of understanding
• Random sample of U.S. consumers
• 1709 respondents completed the survey
• Response rate of 14

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Most perplexing information sources in Americans
daily lives
Source Perplexity Poll, SiegelGale, June
2004, 1709 respondents
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How do we get there?
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A better way

• Hundreds of our clients have found a better way
  to communicate
• Streamlined processes
• Customized, relevant content
• Plain English disclosure
• More powerful use of online capabilities
• More cost-effective production

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The elements of simplification
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Analyzing information reveals underlying issues
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Criteria for Evaluating Communications
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Customization Are messages and other
information customized or personalized to the
individual?
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Avid, Interested, Limited
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Structure and Navigational Ease Is information
organized effectively and easy to navigate from
the users point of view?
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Before
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Results of the contracts simplification

• Reduced and eliminated unnecessary paperwork
• Documents reduced from 12 to 1
• Words from 19,000 to 9,500
• Shorter sales cycle, resulting from reduced legal
  review times
• 10 point increase in customer satisfaction

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Educational Value Does the document help
clients to understand their accounts or the topic
in general?
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Taking the pain out of hospital bills
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Before
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After
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After
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Cost benefits of simplified hospital bills
1 million additional revenue per month as a
result of 80 increase in patient payments Length
of bills reduced from 4 pages to 2-3 pages in 40
of bills
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Visual Appeal Is the document easy to read and
visually appealing?
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Personalized progress toward goal
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Map of money flow
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Usefulness Is the information presented
clearly, using plain language or terms familiar
to the audience?
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Before and After of credit agreement
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Use of information graphics
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Information graphics
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Marketing Potential Does the document include
appropriate marketing opportunities?
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Before
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After
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After

• Customers preferred the new statements,
  particularly liking the new terminology

The new format would motivate customers to
combine accounts into one mailing
Customers didnt miss a separate reconciliation
worksheet
Customers want a full year of statement history
online
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Cost benefit of statement redesign
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The benefits of Simplicity

• Advance and protect an organizations image
• Improved public perception and reputation
• Differentiated offerings
• Increased consideration, favorability, and
  likelihood to recommend
• Improve customer experience and make it
  consistent
• Better prepared employees
• Increased customer satisfaction and retention
• Make operations more efficient
• Reduced customer service call volume/costs
• Reduced printing, postage, and mailing costs
• More efficient communications development process

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