Simplified Language

[Harold F. Schiffman]

http://www.bizcommunity.com 10 Jul 2006


Simplified launched to help companies produce clear, effective documents

Do your customers read the letters, bills and contracts you send them? The
newly-launched consulting and training firm, Simplified, helps
organisations to create documents that are read, understood and acted on -
and that serve as brand-building tools. Simplified communications is a new
concept in South Africa, particularly relevant to financial services and
technology brands. Simplified, a plain language consulting and training
firm, has launched into the market to offer South African companies a
range of simplified communications services including plain-language
writing, information design and training.

Simplified communications helps companies - especially those in the
financial services and technology industries - to build customer loyalty
and reinforce their brands. Another driver for plain language is the
legislation which compels companies in the financial services industry to
write their documents in plain language. Frances Gordon and Candice Burt,
the founders of the company, were both trained in the UK as plain-language
professionals, and have local and international experience in this
fast-growing field. Past and present clients include Discovery, Ernst &
Young, Liberty Life, Rand Merchant Bank, Deutsche Bank and the FirstRand
Group.

Increasing loyalty through simplifying

Markinor's 2006 financial services loyalty survey shows that:

ease of use is a key driver for customer loyalty in financial service
brands

an easy-to-understand policy document is the most important loyalty driver
in the long-term insurance sector. "Jargon and complexity alienate
customers and are barriers to building loyalty. Simplifying is probably
the smartest thing a financial services or technology company can do with
its documents," says Gordon.

Using functional documents as brand-building tools Companies should focus
their marketing and communications efforts not only on advertising, but
also on how they package their technical and educational information,
including documents like bills, statements and contracts. According to
Simplified, an effective brand will use even the most 'functional'
document as a brand-building opportunity.

Plain-language legislation is advanced in South Africa South African
legislation such as FAIS (Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services
Act), the Long- and Short-Term Insurance Acts, and the Code of Banking
Practice requires all consumer advice and documents to be in plain
language. The National Credit Act goes so far as to give a definition for
plain language.

According to the Act, a credit document is in plain language if 'it is
reasonable to conclude that an ordinary consumer of the class of persons
for whom the document is intended, with average literacy skills and
minimal credit experience, could be expected to understand the content,
significance, and import of the document without undue effort'.

However, we lag behind in implementation Despite these laws, which are
among the most advanced in the world, South African organisations lag
behind their UK and EU counterparts when it comes to actually producing
plain-language documents.

"Many industries, in particular financial services, have a long tradition
of using jargon and unnecessary legalese. Hereto, aforementioned, inter
alia and and/or are examples of terms that are often misused and
misunderstood because they are not plain language. They can easily be
replaced by terms everyone understands," says Burt, a plain-language
attorney with extensive experience in writing legal documents in plain
language and training lawyers and other professionals in plain-language
principles.

An example of a plain language rewrite:

Before:
I, the undersigned, hereby revoke, cancel and annul all and any wills,
testamentary dispositions and codicils heretofore made by me.

After:
I cancel all earlier wills


The trend towards simplicity goes beyond financial services. In 2002, a
poll run by the Consumer Electronic Association showed that 87% of people
said ease of use was the most important factor when it comes to new
technologies.

Any questions about plain language can be posted to the Simplified blog at
www.simplified.co.za.
 [10 Jul 2006 09:58]

VISIT OUR PRESS OFFICE:

Co-founded by Frances Gordon and Candice Burt, Simplified helps companies
transform complex messages into clear, effective documents and websites.
Simplified offers services in plain-language writing, information design
and training. -

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