BCS Critical Communications Consumer Study

RRD’s latest research underscores the importance of effective communication in increasing consumer trust, clarity, and engagement.

Communicating with customers involves more delivery channels than ever. Cutting through the noise — especially with critical messaging — requires clarity and credibility. Trust hinges on recognizable senders, familiar formatting, and timely delivery, and personalization, while effective, needs to add meaningful context beyond a first name. While these nuances create challenges, they also create opportunities.

RRD recently conducted interviews with household decision-makers to understand consumer communication preferences. The research highlights six key findings to inform brands’ critical communications strategies — and help them stand out:

Digital is preferred, but physical mail still matters
Clarity and context are essential
Trust is tied to consistency and cues
Personalization goes beyond names
Good organization supports better action
Confusion, delay, and overload break the system

Report Vitals

To better understand how customers experience critical business communications, RRD’s Customer Experience team conducted qualitative research with primary household decision-makers.

What we did: In-depth, one-on-one interviews exploring current experiences, pain points, and expectations related to billing, account updates, and other essential communications

When we did it: March 24-26, 2025

Why we did it: 60-minute interviews conducted remotely

Report highlights

1. Digital is preferred, but physical mail still matters

While digital channels like email and apps are favored for their speed and accessibility, they’re also easy to ignore or delete, especially in cluttered inboxes. Physical mail, on the other hand, carries a perception of importance and permanence.

Your customers want options. Most prefer digital first, but still expect key communications to be backed up by physical copies for their records.

SMS and push notifications are appreciated for their timeliness, but not considered sufficient on their own for critical or complex communications. A hybrid delivery approach helps support messages being seen, stored, and acted on.

“Email is faster and easier to read on a computer…I can enlarge it.”

“I prefer it in the mail. I have my own copy…it's easier to work with.”

Expert take

Digital is fast, but for many, physical mail is still preferred and signals importance. A true omnichannel approach offers the flexibility to meet consumer preferences.

— Cynthia Bajana, Vice President, Business Communication Solutions, RRD

2. Clarity and context are essential

Across industries, a consistent frustration was echoed: messages are too complicated. Whether it’s a utility bill, healthcare explanation of benefits, or financial statements, customers want businesses to cut to the chase.

They expect a summary up front, clear next steps, and access to visual aids (charts, usage graphs, etc.) that make information easier to understand.

Jargon, fine print, and unexplained charges erode trust. Businesses that lead with clarity are more likely to be seen as reliable and are more likely to get a response.

“I want a concise and clear statement with info that is easy to understand — especially if the bill is higher than I expect it to be.”

Expert take

When people understand you quickly, they trust you more. Simplicity isn’t optional, it’s expected.

一 Nick Michel, Director of CX Strategy, RRD

3. Trust is tied to consistency and cues

Your customers rely on cues like consistent branding, sender names, timing, and message structure to assess legitimacy. Anything unfamiliar — from layout changes to new email addresses — can trigger skepticism.

Brands can boost credibility by using the same tone, look, and sender details across every touchpoint.

Transparency about charges, personalized references to recent activity, and account details also help validate that a message is legitimate and relevant.

“I prefer seeing the company logo…it's helpful for marketing and trust.”

Expert take

Familiarity builds confidence. Consistent tone, timing, and branding help messages feel legitimate."

一 Tiffany Goehring, Creative Director, Information Design Services, RRD

4. Personalization goes beyond names

Effective personalization isn’t just about including a name. It’s about context. People are more likely to engage when communications reflect their history, preferences, or account activity.

Messages that acknowledge a recent payment, missed appointment, or usage pattern feel more relevant — and less like mass marketing.

Offering language options, larger fonts, or digital accessibility features also goes a long way in ensuring relevance and inclusivity.

“When my name is spelled correctly, I feel like it’s targeted towards me, as opposed to ‘Resident’.”

Expert take

Real personalization reflects what the customer did, not just who they are.

一 Nick Michel, Director of CX Strategy, RRD

5. Good organization supports better action

Customers want to find, store, and act on important messages without having to dig. Predictable file names, clear subject lines, and consistent labeling (e.g., "Action Required") help them triage what matters.

Communications that follow a clear format with upfront purpose and priority indicators make life easier — and responses faster.

Online portals and document storage tools are helpful, but only if they’re easy to navigate. Confusing interfaces or outdated platforms often prevent consumers from retrieving the information they need.

“I like to receive texts about actions I’ve taken (e.g., payment confirmation).”

Expert take

Smart structure makes decisions easier. Prioritize, label clearly, and reduce friction.

一 Brian Cox, Vice President IT ー CCM, Software Development & BCS Architecture, RRD

6. Confusion, delay, and overload break the system

When asked about frustrations, participants pointed to many of the same pitfalls:

Inconsistent formatting across companies or even within the same brand
Delayed delivery (especially in healthcare)
Dense, text-heavy documents with no visual break
Generic chatbots or offshored support reps who can’t resolve issues

These experiences reduce confidence in the brand and may delay or prevent action entirely.

Critical communications are just that: critical. However, they often feel like an afterthought. By eliminating friction, reinforcing trust, and providing clear, accessible paths to understanding and action, brands can significantly improve outcomes for themselves and their customers.

“I got the medication three months ago, why are you mailing me a confirmation now?”

Expert take

Too much complexity creates doubt. Clear, timely, user-centered communication builds trust and drives action.

一 Tiffany Goehring, Creative Director, Information Design Services, RRD

What’s next

Not sure where to start? Consider working through the following steps with a trusted partner to improve your critical communications:

Standardize the layout and structure of recurring messages
Prioritize visual clarity and surface key details (e.g., sender, due date)
Ensure personalization adds functional value, like referencing account activity
Reinforce trust through consistent message timing and structure

For more information on improving your business communications strategy, connect with an RRD expert today.

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Talk to a member of our team to discuss how RRD can help you meet your 2025 marketing goals.