InfoD-Cafe: Death communications

[Rob Waller]

A few words on this from my experience - all rather obvious really.

Address: make sure the address line changes from [customer name] to  
'Estate of [customer name]' or something similar. And make sure that  
some internal code like 'Deceased' or 'Terminated' doesn't slip in. If  
it is a joint account, then the name changes to that of the surviving  
partner.

Condolences: a short sentence to express sympathy, but not over the  
top and insincere. You could promise to update systems, but warn that  
they could still receive letters addressed to the deceased.

Cushioning: if the letter is about bad news - ie, a debt - then it  
needs to be expressed carefully, perhaps emphasising a phone number to  
call and discuss rather than any bad things that might happen if it is  
not paid.

Tone of voice: if the brand is one of those who have adopted a modern,  
informal, bright and chirpy tone of voice (think Virgin), then abandon  
it for this letter.

Direct mail: the most difficult thing seems to be to reflect the new  
circumstance in mailing lists. For some reason they always seem to lag  
behind, and people get direct mail for their deceased family member  
for months afterwards.

No amusing anecdotes, I'm afraid, unless the letter I receive from  
Tiscali a while back addressed to 'Mr Unknown Unknown' meant they  
thought I had died, and this reflected their view on life after death.

__________________________________

Rob Waller

Department of Typography & Graphic Communication
University of Reading
T +44 (0) 118 378 6411
M +44 (0) 7850 665933
r.waller at reading.ac.uk


On 31 Jul 2008, at 10:08, Andrew Boag wrote:

> On behalf of a client we are looking at best practice in the ways that
> organisations [primarily financial, i.e. Banks etc.] communicate with
> customers, at various stages in the process from application forms and
> packs, to welcome letters, pass books, account change requests,  
> statements,
> etc.
>
> One area that is especially interesting is how best to communicate  
> with
> customers in the context where the policy owner has recently died,  
> and the
> company needs to communicate sympathetically, yet efficiently, to  
> ensure
> that the policy is closed, reinvested, paid out, or whatever.
>
> As it's rather difficult to lay hands on examples of these (so to  
> speak), I
> wondered if members of the café might have some pointers/best practice
> suggestions, or indeed have good examples, that are worth sharing. I  
> am sure
> there must be some quite amusing examples ... ?
>
> Andrew Boag
>
> -----------------------
> Boag Associates
> T  +44 (0)20 3008 6491
> F  +44 (0)20 3008 7759
> http://www.boag.co.uk
>
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