People have often thought of government employees as robots. If you write like a robot, people will think of you as a robot. VBA staff have found that improving correspondence allows the agency to serve veterans more efficiently. As VBA employees have changed the way they communicate, veterans are writing fewer complaint letters and many more thank-you letters. The example on page 4 shows how VBA letters now focus on the reader.
Plain language helps build trust in an organization.
Shell Oil, Pfizer, Bank of America, General Motors, and other organizations have found that plain language reduces paperwork, increases staff productivity, improves customer satisfaction, increases sales, and raises the company's standing in the marketplace. Improved comprehension saves regulators time and money. Although some lawyers are concerned that the wide use of plain language in regulatory matters may lead to more litigation, it's likelier to prevent lawsuits that might result from unclear documents. Not so, say plain English advocates. They claim that clarity and precision aren't mutually exclusive options.