Switching to Lowercase Messaging: A Capital Idea

Abstract

It's not just what you say; it's how you type it. Capitalizing every letter in a water utility's billing statement might turn out to be a turn‐off for customers and could obscure a utility's good intentions.

Trust: Built in Seconds, Lasts for Years

“…This blunt message and its uppercase presentation can communicate a lack of trust and come across as if you are yelling at the customer (Goetz ). This message is aimed at the small minority of customers who don't pay their bills on time.…”

“…In summary, utilities must obviously communicate their invoice terms, late fees, and so on, but they should do so in the fine print and consider avoiding the use of all‐capitalized words, especially with words like “fee,” “cost,” and “charge” (Goetz ).…”