PPF trims comms as numbers near 500,000

The Pension Protection Fund (PPF) has cut the volume of its scheme literature to reduce the communication burden on new members.

The PPF has refreshed its introductory leaflets, condensing them from five to three, and dispensed with its bulky welcome pack.

The changes, which are part of its ongoing customer feedback programme, are also expected to save money for the fund.

Its chief executive Alan Rubenstein said customer service was a growing challenge as the number of people in the fund, in assessment and in the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) grew towards the half-million mark.

"Customer experience as we grow is clearly going to become a much more important part of what we do," he said. "How can we make their interaction with the PPF as easy and as efficient as possible?"

Schemes that can provide their members with clear and succinct information are better placed to engage as many as possible with their benefits.

This should give them a better chance to get the most out of their retirement income, as well as saving the scheme money. 

Brevity first: the PPF's approach

The communication changes, which are expected to save the fund in postage costs, are designed to reduce the burden of information for newcomers.

For members of pension schemes in the PPF assessment period, there is a document (left) entitled What is the Pension Protection Fund… and what do we do?

This explains how the assessment period works and what pensionable income different types of members can expect. It carries forward case studies from previous leaflets.

There are another two introductory booklets – one for the FAS and one for the PPF – welcoming members and prompting them to register online for further information.

In April, the fund announced its plans to move its administration in-house from current provider Capita Hartshead, in summer 2014.

Rubenstein added: "Where our attention has been focused of late, and where it is going to be focused over the next couple of years as we prepare to... take the front end of customer [service] back in-house, is what kind of experience do we want people to have?"

As part of this work, the PPF has also completed a five-minute website survey to get user feedback on the usefulness of its online communication.

How to condense your comms

Schemes are increasingly thinking about how to reduce the amount of paper they create and at the same time lighten the information load for members.

We encourage clients to use segmentation so they can target the messages appropriately

In February, we reported on hotelier Whitbread's decision to minimise its staff education around auto-enrolment, following negative feedback from its employees to the idea of lengthy communication.

Katie Frost, a director at Shilling Communication, said she supported any scheme that cut the information it was sending to members.

She added: "It is one of those subjects where people are not going to retain tonnes of information.

"We encourage clients to use segmentation so they can target the messages appropriately."

The PPF's short explanatory booklet makes use of a Q&A format to educate members. This format allows messages to be "short and sweet", said Frost.

Another scheme that is set to expand rapidly, the National Employment Savings Trust, uses Q&A in its introductory leaflet for good members Welcome to Nest.

This leaflet takes members through the basic contribution, charge, investment and retirement features of the state-backed scheme, with links to further information.

A number of schemes have reduced the amount of print material they send out to members in order to save money and reduce fraud risk.

In March, schemeXpert.com reported on Cable & Wireless Communications pension scheme, which cut regular payslips and P60 mail-outs for pensioners registered online.

"We've taken these steps to address identity theft concerns, reduce cost and be kinder to the environment," a scheme spokesperson said at the time.