BeFrank wins ‘Best communication of commercial provider 2012’ Award

The PBM (Pension Governance & Management) Communication Awards were presented for the sixth time in the Kurhaus Hotel in Scheveningen on the evening of 10 May 2012. An expert jury led by Ron van der Jagt, chairman of Logeion (association for communication professionals), chose the winners. This year the presentation was made by Carola Schouten, MP for the CU (Christian Union Party) and elected as Parliamentary Talent of the Year in 2011. “Most people know almost nothing about pensions, but they’re worried all the same. Bridging that gap is a tremendous communicative challenge,” Schouten said during the event.

BeFrank won the award for ‘Best Communication of Commercial Provider 2012’. The jury looked specifically at the customer-specific and innovative aspects of the communication, as well as the achieved effects.

MP Carola Schouten presents the award for ‘Best communication of commercial provider’ to Folkert Pama, CEO of BeFrank.

The jury noted that BeFrank communicates clearly about pension savings, investments, costs and risks. Thanks to personal online portals, employees can view their pension situation whenever they want. The unique pension planner tool not only provides insight into the expected pension payout, but also the level of risk. By clearly communicating in advance the implications of specific choices, such as making additional contributions, stopping working earlier or changing the risk profile, employees are able to make the right choices for themselves. According to BeFrank, the most important thing is that employees understand what they are reading. One good example is the pension introduction letter that BeFrank has developed. It is only two and a half pages long and is written in plain language.

The PPI is also active in social media, one example being the recent launch of the WeFrank online community: an online platform where employees can discuss pension issues, share their ideas and suggestions, and make complaints. The investments in clear communication are  paying off: BeFrank has a Net Promotor Score (a key customer satisfaction indicator) of 91%.

Folkert Pama, CEO of BeFrank, was in attendance to receive the Award.