Communication is at the heart of every successful organization. With the rapid evolution of technology, corporations and government agencies are constantly seeking innovative ways to connect and communicate with consumers. The way these communications are delivered plays a pivotal role in customer experience and satisfaction.
PDFs were created in the 1980s to provide a standard format for sharing documents electronically. There is a rapidly growing need to shift to responsive communications, like HTML, that will fit the form factor and responsiveness of smartphones and other mobile devices. PDF is not a suitable format for reading electronic communications, including letters, notices, ordering confirmations, explanations of benefits, disclosures, account statements and other transactional electronic communications on a smartphone or tablet.
This transformation isn’t just about adapting to modern technology—it’s about aligning with the changing habits of consumers and ensuring seamless and positive interactions.
Mobile dominance: Statistics speak louder than words
Statistics reveal a significant shift in consumer behavior. As of this year, more people are accessing electronic communications on their mobile devices than on traditional computers. According to a recent survey by market research firm, Litmus, 78% of adults prefer reading emails, newsletters and other forms of corporate communications on their smartphones or tablets. This finding is not surprising, given the increasing popularity of mobile devices. According to Exploding Topics, using data from StatCounter and DataReportal, 55% of web traffic comes from mobile devices, and 92% of internet users access the internet using a mobile phone. This means that more and more people are using their smartphones and tablets to read news, check email, respond to text messages, communicate on social media, access corporate portals, shop for goods and services and browse the web. This marks a substantial increase from previous years, highlighting the undeniable trend toward mobile dominance in the realm of electronic communication.
Organizations as a whole need to holistically take this trend into account when developing their communication strategies, not just the marketing department. It is important for them to ensure all their communications are optimized for mobile devices. This means using responsive design, creating short and concise content and avoiding large image files. By optimizing their communications for mobile devices, organizations can ensure their messages reach their target audience in a format that is easy to read and understand.
Responsive HTML: A game-changer in customer experience
Responsive HTML offers several compelling advantages over traditional PDF formats for electronic customer communications, including:
- Openness and convenience: Unlike PDFs, which are often poorly created files that not all software and apps can open and read, HTML-based communications are universally accessible across various devices and platforms. Whether it’s an iOS device, an Android smartphone, a Windows tablet, a Google Chrome notebook, a laptop or a desktop computer, responsive HTML ensures that customers can seamlessly access the content without any compatibility issues.
- Improved user experience: Responsive HTML offers a dynamic and interactive user experience. Tailored to fit different screen sizes and orientations, it ensures the content adapts to the device, providing an optimal viewing experience. This not only enhances readability, but it also creates a visually engaging communication style, making it more likely for consumers to read and engage with the content on their mobile devices.
- Faster loading times: Mobile users demand speed and efficiency. Unlike PDFs, which can be large files and may take time to load, responsive HTML content loads quickly even on slower internet connections. This swift loading time is essential to capturing and retaining the user’s attention, especially in an era where people expect instant access to information.
The cost-efficiency factor
Composing customer communications and formatting them into PDFs is still a regulatory requirement for many organizations. The additional cost and expertise to create and maintain the same customer communication content in an HTML format for mobile devices may be too burdensome for some organizations. A cost-effective approach is to convert those PDFs to responsive HTML in real-time when a customer requests to view their statement from their smartphone or when a business wants to notify a customer on their smartphone that a bill is ready to be viewed and paid.
The format of the HTML version of the communication doesn’t have to be the exact duplicate of the PDF. Rather, the responsive design should be a summary of the PDF, using short and concise content, telling the customer what they need to know to act on the communication, such as scanning a QR code to make a payment or scheduling an appointment. This approach allows organizations to allocate resources more efficiently, focusing on creating valuable content rather than investing in expensive software licenses or third-party services.
Embracing change
The future of electronic customer communications is undeniably mobile. Organizations must recognize this shift in consumer behavior and adapt their strategies accordingly. Embracing responsive HTML for electronic communications is not just an option—it’s a necessity for staying relevant in a rapidly changing digital landscape.
By making this transition, organizations can ensure their communications reach consumers in a format that is open, engaging and visually appealing, regardless of the device they use. The ability to provide seamless, user-friendly experiences can be a significant differentiator for organizations. By prioritizing responsive HTML for electronic customer communications, corporations and government agencies are not only meeting the demands of the present, but also paving the way for a future where consumer interactions are effortless, enjoyable and mutually beneficial. It’s time for organizations to leave behind the constraints of PDFs and embrace the limitless possibilities of responsive HTML, ushering in a new era of electronic customer communication and satisfaction.
To learn more about making your customer communications mobile-ready, register for the upcoming webinar, Mobile Revolution: Enhancing Customer Engagement with Responsive HTML, hosted by Crawford Technologies. It will include tips and tricks to transform PDFs into responsive HTML and show how it can be done using Crawford Technologies’ enterprise communication processing software.
If you can’t attend the live webinar, that’s OK. Your registration will enable you to receive access to the replay shortly after the webinar ends.
