Breaking Bad Communications

This isn’t too surprising when you consider consumers receive an average of 25 bills and statements a month and it can take 12 discrete steps to manage each one based on the findings of our recent focus group. In fact, one participant shared: “My bills are incredibly important but I’d rather do any other chore. I’d rather do laundry than look at them.”

So, how do we change the perception of bills and statements and turn them into valuable experiences?

We break them.

At our recent webinar, “The Future of Communications – a UX Design Challenge,” with guest speaker Emily Wengert, Group Vice President for User Experience at Huge, one of the world’s leading experience agencies, we shared how brands can start to reimagine the future of bills and statements based on insights from a first-of-its-kind design challenge.

There was only one rule for this unique, creative endeavor: the futuristic bill and statement designs would have to benefit brands and consumers, alike. After talking to numerous companies and consumers, we uncovered the top three priorities for these essential communications.

What do brands want?

1. Build their brand equity: Bills and statements are repeated touchpoints with customers; brands should leverage this opportunity to better communicate, connect and engage.
2. Guide consumer behavior: Beyond getting the consumer to pay or review, brands also want to encourage consumers to respond to offers on bills and statements.
3. Reduce pain points: By communicating the right information clearly, brands can reduce the large cost of call center escalation and the negativity that arises from the need to call.

What do consumers want?

1. Make it easier: From clearer calls-to-action and visual guidance to educational and informational content, customers want to better understand their outcomes and separate the signal from noise.
2. Personalize the content: Consumers have become accustomed to more personalized information in various areas of their lives and the expectation extends to bills and statements.
3. Create a consistent experience: Unified experiences across channels – print, mobile, websites – help consumers find information quickly and easily.    

Is it possible to create a communications experience that meets all of these needs? Find out in my next blog where you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at the design challenge, specifically the rapid prototype process where the bills and statements you know today were completely reimagined.   

Download our report, Disrupting Bills and Statements, to learn more.