Why transformation is the moment to raise your communication standards

The starting point: why change was needed

I joined OSB Group as Head of Customer Journey Communications in late November 2024.

What became clear very quickly was that communications weren’t in a bad place. In many cases, they were performing reasonably well. However, the reality was that standards were being managed differently across teams and brands.

Customer testing had taken place, but often on a project-by-project basis rather than as part of a consistent, ongoing programme. Ownership wasn’t always clear, and there were gaps in specialist communication expertise in some areas.

The opportunity wasn’t about fixing something that was broken. It was about creating greater consistency and building a stronger foundation for the future.

Building a group-level capability

Creating a group-level customer communications function sounds straightforward in theory. In practice, it means working across multiple stakeholders, priorities, brands and perspectives.

Rather than relying solely on internal opinion, we partnered with specialists to help develop a comprehensive set of tone of voice and writing guidelines for the group. This also created an opportunity to introduce Plain Numbers thinking and begin building capability in an area that is particularly relevant for financial services communications.

A lending business communicates differently from a savings business. Broker communications often have different requirements and expectations from direct customer communications.

The key was not to force uniformity but to create alignment.

Instilling communication principles

One of the most important lessons we’ve learned is that communication excellence is as much about culture as it is about process.

Policies and guidelines are important, but they only become meaningful when people understand them, believe in them and know how to apply them.

We started by working closely with key communication influencers representing a wide range of functions, including customer service, operations, complaints, marketing, internal communications, compliance and legal.

These sessions were deliberately hands-on. Rather than simply sharing a document, we ran workshops that helped colleagues understand not only what the standards are, but also why they matter and how they can be applied in real-world scenarios.

This is where Plain Numbers becomes an important companion to our broader communication strategy.

Many financial services communications contain significant amounts of numerical information. Plain language alone isn’t always enough. Customers also need numerical information to be presented in a way that is intuitive, meaningful and easy to interpret.

By introducing Plain Numbers principles alongside our tone of voice guidelines, we’re helping teams think more deliberately about how numerical information is structured, explained and presented.

Looking ahead, our focus is on embedding these standards more deeply across the organisation.

That includes creating a communication excellence hub, providing central access to tone of voice guidance, Plain Numbers resources, training materials and e-learning. It also means empowering teams to assess their own communications against the new standards, identify improvement opportunities and track progress over time through ongoing testing and measurement.

Planning and embedding the transformation

One question often asked during transformation programmes is when to introduce new frameworks, standards and methodologies.

My view is simple: the earlier, the better.

Waiting until governance structures, ownership models and operating processes are fully mature can mean losing valuable momentum.

At OSB Group, introducing communication standards early has enabled us to start driving improvements immediately.

Early adoption creates visible examples of success. Those examples build confidence, generate advocacy and help establish the foundations of a broader communication culture.

Importantly, they also give colleagues something practical to engage with rather than asking them to wait for a future end-state.

In many ways, communication excellence isn’t something that can be delivered through a single programme. It develops through repeated application, learning and refinement.

What transformation actually looks like

Perhaps the biggest lesson so far is that transformation is not a destination.

The objective is not perfection. It is continuous improvement.

At OSB Group, we’re still at a relatively early stage of the journey. The next challenge is embedding those standards at scale.

For peers in other organisations who are embarking on a similar journey, my advice would be straightforward.

Start earlier than you think you need to. Focus on principles before perfection. Involve stakeholders from the beginning. Invest in capability, not just governance. And remember that communication excellence is ultimately about people, not documents.

Most importantly, recognise that better communications are not simply a regulatory requirement. They are a customer experience opportunity.

When customers can easily understand what you’re telling them, what you’re asking them to do and what it means for them, everybody benefits.

That’s the journey we’re continuing at OSB Group, and while there’s still plenty to do, the progress so far has reinforced a simple belief: clear, customer-focused communication is one of the most powerful tools any organisation has to build trust, understanding and better outcomes.