Solving call centre
conundrums

Personalized retirement emails to answer members questions

Targeted emails made it easy for potential retirees to learn about their options; reducing the need to contact the call-centre

Challenge

When 350,000+ pension plan members barraged the OTPP Pension call-centre with questions about retirement, the company sought the help of my communications team to ease both external and internal pressure.

Marion vlogged her retirement for OTPP

Our team helped Marion vlog her retirement process, to help educate others about the process

Solution

The UX team reimagined all “Preparing to Retire” content to help plan members quickly and effortlessly navigate to relevant information. The communication team:

  • instituted a research-based re-design of all “Preparing to Retire” content on otpp.com
  • established an educational “drip campaign” through highly-targeted emails providing quick tips and links aimed at helping members find information quickly
  • introduced targeted communication to plan members in the “pre-retirement” zone (aged 40+ for social, email, and web visits)
Website style guide sample

The "Reel Retirement" campaign unlocked hours for OTPP call centre staff, freeing up time to focus on more complex cases

Results

Using meticulous research, my team revamped the call experience, relieving both the call center and plan members. After launch, call center operators could take on more complex calls, and survey results revealed high satisfaction from plan members on this statement: “ease and simplicity of finding just what I need.” The stats speak for themselves:

  • Same-day calls were down 17.5%
  • Same-day emails were down 17%
  • Calls from plan members within 7 days of retirement were down 6%
  • Average tasks per application decreased 6.4% in 2021

Web

80%
Strategy
20%
Design

Rethinking the IA of the Preparing to Retire content

Armed with data from the call-centre, my team transformed the 'Preparing to retire' section of the website into a simple, five sub-sections: Do your research, Pension calculator, Start prepping, Review your checklist and Your pension application. Through streamlining the content, removing redundant content and simplifying concepts, we were able to reduce 30+ pages of content into 12, and dramatically improve user flow.

OTPP Preparing for Retirement landing page

Re-envisioned IA of the Preparing for Retirement section of otpp.com

Email

70%
Strategy
30%
Design
Sample retirement email targeted to people curious about remployment after retiring

Targeted email: calculating retirement dates

Members wanting to know their retirement date was the top-requested item to the OTPP call-centre. Using our data, we composed multiple versions of "Your Moment" email, encouraging members to action action toward their retirement.

Targeted emails included:

  • Understanding your re-employment options
  • How to find your login information
  • Setting up your spouse and dependents
  • How to maximize your pensionable earnings
  • Filling out your pension application
  • What do you need before you declare your retirement?
Sample retirement email targeted to people curious about remployment after retiring
Sample retirement email targeted to people curious about remployment after retiring
Your moment campaign on Facebook

"Your Moment" campaign featured on Facebook

A print ad for the Your Moment campaign

"Your Moment" mailer sent to members ready to retire

Your Moment email on a mobile phone
“This is a quote about the project
from the client/stakeholder”
-Sam Sarnia, CEO
Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan