Plain Numbers in practice case studies

Thank you to all those who attended our Plain Numbers in practice webinar.  

If you missed the session please email the team for a recording - enquiries@plainnumbers.org.uk

Click below for a rundown of the Q&A section of the webinar

We were joined by Plain Numbers Practitioners Caroline, the Customer Communications Manager at Thames Water; Dave, a UX Designer; and Michael, a Communications Specialist from StepChange.

Thames Water

Thames is the largest water provider in the UK with 16 million customers. They send a large volume of customer communications including - service letters, emails, booklets, account information and bills. Thames were one of the first Plain Numbers Partners, and we recently celebrated their renewal.  

‘We always think about the words that we use when we contact customers, but we don’t always think about the numbers and how these can be perceived. The training really brought to life how important communciating numbers is and the barriers that stop customers from reading and understanding important information for their everyday money,’ Caroline, Thames Water.

Caroline presented three case studies, illustrating how and why the Plain Numbers Approach was implemented. 

The first case study focused on a continuous flow pilot email (see image). 

This email was designed to proactively inform smart meter customers that their account data indicated a continuous flow of water, potentially signaling a leak.  

By applying Plain Numbers principles, the Thames Water team achieved outstanding results: an impressive 95% open rate compared to the average of 52%. This success enabled customers to identify and resolve leaks efficiently.  

Caroline also highlighted enhancements to the Online Account Manager dashboard and shared the graphics developed to clarify payment plan explanations.  

StepChange

StepChange, is the UK’s largest debt charity and provides free, expert debt advice that supports thousands of people in becoming debt-free every year. Dedicated to a client-focused approach, the charity works with financially vulnerable people who are often struggling with an overwhelming number of communications.  

‘The feedback was a lot more than numbers. I’d thought, there’s not many numbers in these comms so there probably won’t be much to add, but they did, and it was really valuable. The process was flexible and really quick. The people we worked with were incredibly accommodating and helpful. The feedback was tailored to our audience and our technical limitations. It was all really helpful’. Michael, StepChange. 

Our practitioners from StepChange shared insights into their Debt Management Plan (DMP) communication process. 

Previously, the DMP involved a lengthy PDF packed with information.

Now, it has been transformed into a series of seven automated emails sent over the first three months of the plan. These emails are carefully timed to deliver critical information precisely when clients need it. 

Given the emotive nature of the topics, which can be overwhelming—especially for financially vulnerable people—StepChange and Plain Numbers worked thoughtfully to ensure the communication was as clear and supportive as possible. 

The emails incorporate dynamic content, allowing the messaging to adapt to different scenarios based on each client’s situation. 

By applying the Plain Numbers Approach, StepChange enhanced the clarity and effectiveness of these communications.  

This included restructuring headers and reordering information to deliver key messages in the most succinct and impactful way. 

Click here to see further examples of how the Plain Numbers Approach has been applied.