Download Question: WHEN IS CONSISTENCY NOT A HOBGOBLIN

Question: WHEN IS CONSISTENCY NOT A HOBGOBLIN?
“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by
little statesmen and philosophers and divines.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
Answer: When wise consistency is a Best Practice.
Using Language Templates is one of the best ways to ensure consistency in marketing
material and standard communications. Once template language is established, it can
be shared electronically and in print with advertising creators, marketers, agencies and
producers as appropriate.
For instance, template paragraphs can be written for customer complaint and claim
responses. By using standard, approved phrases, not only is the company better
protected, but the complaint responders will probably find it easier to prepare “good”
letters. Often, well-written sentences or paragraphs can be mined from past
correspondence files, and supplied to all appropriate responders with encouragement to
use and guidance on using them.
One example would be a template for the last paragraph to insert into complaint or claim
responses with a negative decision. It would read something like, “Please contact me if
you have further information that will bear upon the company’s decision.” Leaving the
door open for “further information” allows the customer to be in control of the next step,
while rendering the company’s decision final if no further information is sent back.
Language Templates for sales and marketing material should include at least the
following:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Company name. How the company’s name must appear and how it can be
abbreviated in later references, if allowed. Standards for the size,
appearance and relative location of the company logo can also be included.
Parent company. How the parent company relationship is stated or used, if
applicable. Advertising law generally prohibits implying that the strength of
the parent applies to the subsidiary. Likewise, standardize how the name of
the underwriting company of the policy is differentiated for legal purposes.
Tax disclaimer. Whatever phraseology your company uses to say, “Neither
this company nor its representatives give tax, legal or accounting advice”,
make sure that the phrase is consistently stated.
Producer only disclaimer. For producer only materials, carefully craft the
company’s caveat. Possibly the most comprehensive statement is, “For
producer use only. Not for use in a sales situation.” Some regulators have
quibbled with a statement that says, “Not for use with the public,” claiming
that the producers themselves are part of the public. Included with the
language should be guidance on relative size and location(s) of the
disclaimer in a multi-page piece.
Ratings. Full disclosure when an industry rating is referenced. Advertising
law for Life and Annuity requires that the disclosure must include the “scope”
and “extent” of the rating, although the ratings agencies themselves do not
require the same detail. Scope refers to what the rating is for (claims paying
ability, financial strength, e.g.) and the extent includes the ranking and where
that ranking falls in the hierarchy of that company’s rankings (A+, second of
f.
15 ratings; B+, 6th of 15 ratings; e.g.). Some regulators feel that to only state
the company carries an A rating could mislead a consumer into thinking that
this is the top rating, or second behind A+, when there are actually two
rankings above A in the Best’s scale. Additionally, an initial reference to
Standard and Poor’s® must carry a registered trademark.
Other. Any specific, legally required exclusions, limitations, exceptions, and
state specific requirements should be put into template language, as well.
Once these templates are written and approved by management, publicize them to the
field (if producers are allowed to create advertising materials) so that there are fewer
items to correct when a piece comes in for company approval. Likewise, if the template
language is available electronically within all appropriate departments of the company,
anyone creating marketing or publicity materials can cut and paste easily and always be
confident the verbiage is accurate.
When you give guidelines such as template language, you could rephrase Emerson to
say, “Foolish inconsistency is the hobgoblin of compliance!”