Why Good Customer Communication Is About Correctness and Efficiency—Not Style and Personalization

Large enterprises send millions, sometimes billions, of customer communications every year. That number is only going to grow. Over the past two decades this scale has driven enterprises toward standardization and automation—and rightly so.

Yet there’s a common misconception: that making communication more personal automatically makes it better. It’s easy to believe—after all, who wouldn’t want to be addressed as an individual instead of a customer number? But in practice, the opposite is often true.

As a customer, I want as little communication as possible from the enterprises I interact with. And I have no desire for a “personal relationship” with them. What I want is correct information, in the right channel, at the right time.

Correctness and channel fit over personalization

Take two examples:

My bank account. I expect 24/7 access through a mobile app where I can configure notifications and retrieve information when I need it.

My dog’s health insurance. I only need a website to upload documents and claim refunds. No more, no less.

In both cases, the value is correctness and adequacy of channel. If my insurer tried to anticipate my travel plans and send me personalized vacation coverage reminders, it would quickly become overwhelming. Too much communication leads me to tune out—or eventually switch providers.

The myth of “personalized language”

Personalization is often also about tone—adjusting the style of communication based on age, dialect, or inferred preferences. This is not something I want enterprises spending time and resources on. Especially now: modern AI makes it trivial for me, the customer, to reformat or rephrase any message into the style I prefer.

If the information is correct and readily accessible, I can take care of personalization myself.

Why efficiency matters most

Let’s be clear: I’m not arguing for bad communication. Poorly designed or inaccurate communication still drives customers away. But when it comes to acquiring and retaining customers, efficiency beats personalization.

Here’s why:

• Efficient, correct, automated communication drives cost savings.
• Savings can be passed on to customers through lower prices—or reinvested in marketing.
• Both of these are far more effective at customer acquisition than sending “personalized” emails.
• Once acquired, correct and reliable communication helps retain those customers.

The personalization that matters: customer configuration

The one form of personalization I do believe in is customer-controlled preferences:

• What information do I receive?
• How often do I receive it?
• Through which channel?

Give customers control over configuration, not style. That’s the kind of personalization that adds value.

Conclusion

Good customer communication doesn’t come from trying to mimic friendship or individuality. It comes from being correct, efficient, and configurable.

Get those three right, and you’ll save costs, win customers, and keep them. Get them wrong, and no amount of “personalization” will save you.