Benefits of plain English for businesses

Lynda Harris

Clear, plain English information makes clients happy and helps your bottom line

Perfectly clear writing means that you connect with your clients and strengthen your business. It’s as simple as that. Poor communication damages your business by preventing understanding, turning clients away, and reducing compliance.

Plain English saves you money

Plain English saves time and money. Those who read your messages know what they need to do next. This means fewer help calls, and fewer mistakes.

Insisting on plain English also streamlines internal business processes.

One study showed that UK businesses lose £6 billion a year because of badly written letters.

• British Telecom cut customer queries by 25 percent using plain English.
• A UK Government plain English initiative saved £9 million in printing costs.
• General Electric saved $275,000 by redrafting manuals into plain English.

Plain English can strengthen your brand and be your point of difference

Clear communication as a core brand value and positioning statement offers a valuable point of difference between you and your competitors.

Read about the Canadian firm that did this with great success

Ask about our Plain English and Your Brand workshop — email training@write.co.nz.

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Plain English case studies and comments

• Read a New Zealand case study
• Read about our plain English work
• Read case studies from other countries that show documented savings in time and money from using plain English
• Ask to speak to other New Zealand organisations that are running a successful plain English project

Plain English specialists to transform your communications

Write has a professional team of plain English specialists ready to transform your business communications. We can provide:

• a team of writing and editing consultants to support you and your team at any stage of your document project
• specialist trainers to teach you the skills to transform your documents
• integrated support to create a work environment where plain English is the way you write.