The business case for clear writing
“You can’t manage what you can’t measure.”
Peter Drucker
Savings to Business that never appear on the bottom line
Professor Joe Kimble has collected data on the savings of clear communication and published the findings in his recommended book, Writing for Dollars
The US Navy estimated plain English could save it between $250–$300 million every year.
General Electric saved $275,000 by redrafting manuals into plain English.
The US Department of Veterans Affairs saved $40,000 redrafting one standard letter into plain English.
British Telecom cut customer queries by 25 percent by using plain English.
The Royal Mail saved £500,000 by redesigning one form in plain English.
UK Government Plain English initiative saved £9 million in printing costs.
UK businesses lose an estimated £6 billion a year because of badly written letters.
Clear writing is clear thinking on paper. It’s a style that’s conversational and friendly and focuses on the readers’ needs. It uses everyday words, and doesn’t waste words. It uses clear, crisp sentences, strong verbs and concrete nouns to help the reader absorb its meaning quickly and effortlessly. We call this style plain English.
All authorities on good writing recommend the plain English style. But business, government agencies and academia still write most documents in an old-fashioned, convoluted style. If people realized how much poor writing costs in bad administration, customer frustration and lost sales, they would change. Unfortunately, bad communication costs don’t appear on the balance sheet.
How much does it cost a company if you write a 500-word email?
How much does it cost a company if you write a 500-word email?
I’ve asked this question on writing courses. The usual answer is around $20.
But what if you send the email to every employee?
What is the cost to a company with 15,000 employees?
Let’s say the reading time is two minutes – that’s 500 working hours – the cost jumps from $20 to perhaps $20,000. This is a real example. The email was about the office car park closing on the following Sunday to have the lines repainted. No one works in the office on Sundays.
Why do you think people complain of too many emails?
Savings to Business that never appear on the bottom line
“There is now compelling evidence that plain language saves money and pleases readers: it is much more likely to be read and understood and heeded in much less time. It could even help to restore faith in public institutions. Yet the torrent of words continues, driving everyone crazy who has to deal with official and legal documents.”
Professor Joe Kimble.
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