Speaking to Customers Means Balancing Print, Digital, and Everything In Between

Speaking to Customers Means Balancing Print, Digital, and Everything In Between

We’ve come a long way in how we communicate with customers, but quite honestly, we have so much room to grow. In the insurance industry, where customer communications are frequent, regulated, and often time-sensitive, getting the right message to the right person through the right channel isn’t just a best practice, it’s essential.

Yes, the cost of mailing a single letter is now 73 cents. Multiply that by thousands or millions of touchpoints each year, and it’s clear that physical communications carry a tangible financial impact. But that doesn’t mean print is the problem. In fact, print remains a critical part of the communication mix for many policyholders who expect or even prefer it.

The real opportunity? Creating a smarter, more integrated communication strategy that leverages the strengths of both print and digital channels to meet customers where they are, while also reducing costs, improving satisfaction, and accelerating operational efficiency.

This isn’t about abandoning print. It’s about evolving communication practices to reflect today’s expectations, while keeping every customer, every preference, and every requirement in mind.

Use a Digital Maturity Audit as a Starting Point

Before jumping into tactics, take a step back and assess your current landscape. OSG’s Digital Maturity Audit is a valuable tool that helps insurers evaluate where they are on their journey and build a clear, actionable roadmap for what’s next.

Why it works:

• Clear progression stages: From Basic to Digitally Transformed, the framework helps you visualize growth
• Realignment of focus: Shift the conversation from cost-cutting to improving customer experience
• Competitive benchmarking: See how your communications stack up against your peers
• Actionable insights: Prioritize what needs to happen Now, Next, and Later
• Business alignment: Tie digital efforts to measurable outcomes like paperless adoption, reduced unit costs, and higher satisfaction

It’s also a great way to identify blind spots in your communication strategy, particularly in those regulated, high-volume areas like billing, policy documents, and notices, where transformation can deliver major value.

Practical Strategies for a Smarter, More Balanced Communication Strategy

Once you’ve assessed where you stand, here are practical ways to evolve having more channels and leading with intentionality:

1. Understand Policyholder Preferences
   Communication isn’t one-size-fits-all. Some policyholders prefer email or text. Others feel more comfortable with a printed document in hand. Understanding these preferences through surveys, behavior data, or direct outreach, helps you create targeted strategies that respect individual needs.
   
   
2. Educate Policyholders on Digital Benefits
   Some policyholders are open to digital but unsure of what to expect. Others may be hesitant. That’s okay. Meet them with empathy. Highlight the speed, convenience, and security of digital channels, and make it easy for them to explore new options at their own pace.
   
   
3. Implement Digital Mandates Gradually
   Rather than an abrupt shift away from physical mail, start with digital-first options where appropriate like policy updates or billing notifications and allow for opt-in or hybrid experiences. The goal is to move forward without leaving anyone behind.
   
   
4. Leverage Print to Drive Digital Engagement
   Print can be a powerful bridge to digital experiences. For customers who still rely on physical mail, you can embed digital touchpoints into printed documents to encourage interaction and convenience, from QR codes to pay or even a direct link to interactive documents giving a preview of what customers can access online.
   
   
5. Invest in Easy-to-Use Digital Tools
   If your customers aren’t embracing digital, it might be because the experience needs work. Clunky portals, confusing logins, or hard-to-navigate mobile apps are all adoption blockers. Digital tools must be intuitive and seamless, designed with real people in mind.
   
   
6. Create a Culture That Embraces Change
   Innovation starts from within. Encourage a mindset shift across your organization that welcomes new approaches and embraces change. Leadership should champion the message that evolving communication isn’t just about tech, rather it’s about serving customers better.
   
   
7. Empower Your Frontline Teams
   The people who speak to your policyholders every day can be powerful advocates for change. Equip them with training, FAQs, and support materials so they feel confident answering questions and guiding policyholders through new options.
   
   
8. Use Data to Personalize and Improve
   Data analytics can play a pivotal role in optimizing digital communication strategies. By analyzing customer behavior and preferences, insurers can identify patterns and trends that inform their approach. For example, data can reveal which channels are most effective for reaching specific segments of policyholders or highlight areas where additional support may be needed to drive adoption.
   
   
9. Monitor and Adjust
   Moving customers digitally isn’t a one-and-done approach; it requires ongoing monitoring and adaptation. Insurers should establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of their digital communication efforts, such as adoption rates, customer satisfaction scores, and cost savings. Regularly reviewing these metrics allows insurers to identify areas for improvement and refine their strategies accordingly.
   
   
10. Communicate with Transparency
    Whether you’re introducing new digital options or changing how documents are delivered, be open with your customers. Outline the benefits, and make sure they know support is available. Transparency builds trust and eases the path forward.

The Bottom Line

We’re no longer at a crossroads when it comes to communication strategy in insurance. Today’s customers expect flexibility, relevance, and convenience, whether that means a printed policy, a text alert, or a message in their mobile app.

The goal isn’t to eliminate print. It’s to use every channel with purpose, aligned to what each customer values most.

So yes, if you’re still relying heavily on print, it’s worth exploring more cost-effective ways to manage it. But equally, it’s time to strengthen your digital muscle, modernize outdated processes, and make every message count.

Communication isn’t about channel; it’s about connection. And the best strategies meet people where they are.