Improve your product instructions and reduce returns by up to 75%

Illuminating Instructions for over 70 products!

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 12:19:24 +0000

We have recently completed a project for The Light Corporation www.lightcorporation.com who are lighting consultants based in Hertfordshire. They wanted to update and streamline their instructions for over 70 products, a range that includes uplights, downlights, spotlights and wall lights.

Naturally enough, our client wanted to ensure this lengthy exercise was going to be cost efficient. To enable this, we proposed grouping similar products together and creating a set of ‘umbrella’ instruction templates for each. The first phase was therefore to assess and sort the lights into family groupings. From here we started to construct instruction sets that could, with a little tweaking, be used across a range of products. Our aim, of course, was to rationalise the sheer number of instructions required but not to compromise on quality, clarity and safety.

The size and style of existing packaging often has a practical bearing on the printed format of instructions - and this project was no exception. With such a large range of lights to deal with, it was inevitable that we would be working with a wide variation of packaging styles. So, before artworking started, we undertook a packaging audit which allowed us to recommended 3 instruction formats - a fold-out broadsheet, a large concertina style sheet and a more petite concertina for smaller boxes.

Sleek instructions for Tradewinds bicycle computer

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 12:03:02 +0000

A quick turn round time was required to provide some instructions for a bicycle computer from Tradewinds. This nifty little product, selling through Toys’R’Us, acts as a speedo, odometer, trip, timer, clock, calculates average speed and records maximum speeds achieved.

It sells in small blister packs so space for instructions inside the packaging is limited. We all appreciate that teeny, crammed together instructions are off-putting to customers - so we needed to be concise, but preferably not in a scary way! And the instructions still needed to incorporate our trademark clarity and thoroughness.

With careful design layout and clear, sharp illustrations we produced instructions that are an easy to follow guide to using the computer. This calm and authoritative little set of instructions manages to cover everything you need to know to use the computer - from attaching the product to a bicycle and systematic guide to all the functions right through to all the necessary warnings, cautions and disposal information. We aimed for easy on the eye and easy to follow - Tradewinds loved it!

Product returns down by 75% and payback in only 4 weeks due to new user manual by Userview

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 18:40:38 +0000

Sales of LG Electronics DVDs, TVs and Home Cinema products have boomed but customer reviews revealed that the quality of the user manuals were letting the products down. This was resulting in a very poor user experience and so customers were returning products in unacceptably high numbers.

Daniel Aziz, Marketing Manager, UK & Ireland, Media Home Entertainment for LG Electronics, knew that the quality of the products was not the issue, but did not have the time to address the problem with the instructions so he commissioned us to improve them.

We user tested and reviewed over twenty user manuals and this revealed that they were poorly written and did not comply with the International Standard for instructions (BS EN 62079:2001).

We re-drafted the copy and created a new layout for the user manuals based on the existing format but with a logical structure and improved presentation of the content. They have a quick start section for setting up and basic operations with more advanced features towards the back of the user manuals.

75% drop in product returns and payback in 4 weeks is impressive and LG Electronics now want to develop the user manuals further.

Customer reviews are now very positive. This is a typical 5 star rating by Magdalen from Northamptonshire on www.argos.co.uk.

"The product is very attractive - good design. It was much easier to use than I thought it would be as I struggle a bit with technology. I would recommend it to a friend."

User friendly instructions - an article on Userview in KBB magazine

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 17:38:49 +0000

Click on the page to download a PDF file of the article

Keeping it simple - an article in ERT magazine on Userview

Wed, 2 Dec 2009 17:46:21 +0000

Click on the page to download a copy of the article. Or see the original in the 19 November edition.

Why do some consumer electronics companies not see why high quality product instructions are important to their profitability?

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 21:37:37 +0000

I was talking to a consumer electronics (CE) client recently about the dramatic impact that our instructions are having on his business.

He told me that product returns are negligible and forward orders for spring 2010 have been received based on how well the products have been selling through the retail channel. This has not happened in the past.

He went on to say that his company shows our instructions to their retail buyers and this helps them to secure vital orders for new products in the range.

I have also seen YouTube reviews of the product in question where young consumers have been genuinely surprised at how well written the user guide for the product in question.

So our instructions are saving the after-sales costs of handling returns, helping to improve the perception of the product and giving retail buyers the confidence to place substantial future orders.

Then why won’t they invest in decent quality instructions for their next product launch? The answer is because they think that by saving costs at the front end of the product development process they will make more money at the back end. Well, they’re wrong, because if they don’t invest in decent quality product instructions they will increase calls, complaints and returns and damage brand loyalty.

We have developed a return on investment model (ROI) that predicted that for this client every £1 spent with Userview creating high quality product instructions would SAVE £19 in after-sales costs over twelve months. We ran the same model again based on the above information and the ROI model calculated that the every £1 spent with Userview the savings had jumped to £99.

Userview has conducted extensive research with consumers, brand owners and retailers over the years and has evidence to prove that high quality instructions can have a dramatic effect on a brand’s financial performance because of the reduction in after-sales costs and the increase in brand loyalty.

Technical communications as a profit centre

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:07:44 +0000

Is your publications, instruction writing or technical communications department costing you money or making you money? Aberdeen Group are offering free complimentary download of the research findings until 27 November 2009. Research findings. The report provides best practices and recommendations for organisations that intend to maximise technical communications’ impact as a profit centre.

Best-in-Class companies have reduced the time required to author documentation by 26%, 4.3 times greater than the reductions achieve by their competitors.

Best-in-Class companies have reduced the costs associated with developing source language documentation content by 43%, 8.6 times greater than the savings realised by their competitors.

The technical publications developed by Best-in-Class companies contribute to a 41% reduction in inbound calls to customer support and service.

Revoo UK: Consumers can check reviews, compare prices and decide what to buy

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 13:36:52 +0000

I met Peter Rankin of www.reevoo.com recently and was very impressed by the service that his company provides to brand owners and retailers in Europe. By enabling real customers to write product reviews this helps to increase sales and reduce returns as people are able to obtain a greater understanding of a product's capabilities before they buy. This service is ideal for on-line retailers and brands with e-commerce sites. The Return On Investment that can be achieved is significant, especially at this time, when sales and margins are under such competitive pressure.
Any service that helps brand owners and retailers to reduce returns should be welcomed because it cuts after-sales costs and unecessary journeys, along with the time they take and the CO2 the journeys create.

Italian style furniture by Bauhaus gets the Userview treatment

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:31:46 +0100

Bauhaus www.bauhaus-bathrooms.co.uk have introduced some new ranges of Italian made bathroom furniture comprising basins, vanity units, wall hung storage, wall hung worktops, tower storage units and mirrors. The style is very much contemporary, but understated. A real bathroom design statement.

We’ve worked with Bauhaus and its sister companies Crosswater www.crosswater.co.uk and Simpsons www.simpsons-enclosures.co.uk for a number of years on both written instructions and video installation instructions for their website. This time we designed and produced several 4 page instruction booklets for these new, stylish bathroom furniture ranges.

Instructions for furniture designer, Simon Pengelly

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 20:09:36 +0100

Leading furniture designer, Simon Pengelly, designed the Baltic range of bathroom furniture that is exclusive to Bathstore www.bathstore.com. It is a highly flexible system that works as a collection of freestanding or fitted pieces of furniture, making the most of storage space and allowing unsightly pipes to be hidden. Perfect for even the smallest bathroom.

From the very outset, Simon was keen to work with us to provide high quality instructions that would complement his beautiful, contemporary and space efficient designs.

We started by watching and videoing an expert assemble and install some sample furniture from the range and then with samples of our own to refer to we created the instructions from scratch. A range of eight user guides emerged from this project which as well as full installation guidance also includes possible unit combinations and layouts.

More information about Simon can be found on his new website www.pengellydesign.com.

How to write an instruction manual - a response to the BBC Radio 4 programme

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 21:49:45 +0100

Engineer, Dr Mark Miodownik (www.markmiodownik.net) produced an interesting programme that was broadcast on 21 August 2009 www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00m4470, exploring the history of instruction manuals. They started out in the early part of the last century as ways to fix products that went wrong. However, modern instruction manuals are soul less, dominated by health and safety messages, and written by people who know the product, using technical language not suited to typical users who need to know how to use it not fix it. The health and safety warnings in instruction manuals reflect our relationship with technology in the sense that if a product does not work we throw it away rather than fix it. The dire warnings put us off trying to mend it!

Mark reckons that instruction manuals are what separate us from animals because they combine language and engineering/technology and to create one is to be a very cultured human being. That is fine, but there was nothing in the programme on the future of product guides so I have decided to make my own predictions based on my experience as a director of Userview® (www.userview.co.uk) the specialist instruction writing agency.

Products are certainly more complex now as manufacturers have introduced more features as a way of competing or justifying ever higher price points. However, fewer people thought instructions were easy to understand in 2007 than they did in 1997, according research carried out by Userview®, the results of which can be found on my blog at www.craigthatcher.co.uk/Userview/BLOG/BLOG.html. Which means that instruction manuals have got harder to follow not easier!

They are still predominantly written by designers or engineers who know all about the product itself but never experience it as a first time user. Despite significant investment in new product development most companies put a small fraction of their budget towards the creation of decent instruction manuals. The result is that they receive more calls to help lines, more complaints, greater numbers of product returns and the loyalty to their brand is significantly reduced. How do we know this? Because when we create instruction manuals we analyse the impact that they have on the brand owners and retailers for whom we create instruction manuals. We write them based on how a person will assemble, install or use a product and not on how they were designed and manufactured.

There are three trends that will shape the instruction manuals in the future.

1. Our on-going relationship with technology
Let’s take a trend that Mark has already identified. He reckons that instruction manuals reflect our relationship with technology. With the development of new technologies comes ever more ways of delivering instructions to users, as well as the traditional hard copy printed manual, that has served us for more than a century. The internet and broadband or a mobile phone with 3G capability means that instructions can be viewed as video clips or downloaded very easily wherever you are. This does not mean that hard copy manuals will become extinct. In the future, many new products will have ‘soft copy’ help ‘built-in’ rather than ‘hard copy’ added-on’.

2. Competitive pressure between brand owners
This will continue to grow. But in mature markets there will be a limit to how many new features can be added to the next new product. So why not concentrate on making the customer ownership experience more enjoyable? Our research shows that better instruction manuals significantly add to this experience because they generate less questions and complaints and fewer products are returned. This means lower after-sales costs and increased profit for enlightened brand owners. There is also a positive impact on brand loyalty and repeat purchase which boosts future profits. Which all means that the smarter companies will invest more in instructions not less.

3. Users should demand better instructions
Demand is low because we all seem to grudgingly accept that poor instructions are simply a symptom of living in a modern world. And like all forms of poor after-sales service we let companies get away with it, blighting the very lives those new products were meant to brighten. The main principle of the international standard for product instructions (BS EN 62079:2001) is that instructions are integral part of any product - and should promote correct and safe use. Our view is that if the instructions are ‘faulty’ then so is the product and it should be returned to the retailer with a big note on the box. Instructions not fit for purpose. Full refund please! Only then will some companies get the message. Tell us what you think by completing a short survey.
Click http://tinyurl.com/mod4xc

Craig Thatcher, Director of Userview
craig@userview.co.uk
M +44(0)7711 388452

About Userview®
The specialist agency creates and user tests product instructions for manufacturers, brand owners and retailers. This saves clients time and ensures that the instructions are easy to use and comply with International Standards. As a result after sales costs from calls, complaints, returns and litigation are reduced. At the same time, the user experience is improved along with brand loyalty and repeat purchase. Case studies show a return on investment can be achieved in months.

Established in 1994, Userview® has experience of all types of products from safety critical ones like child car seats to DIY and flat pack furniture. Regular research into user attitudes to instructions provides valuable insights. With new technology instructions can now be delivered direct to a PC or mobile phone. Current clients include AkzoNobel, Britax, Bathstore, and the agency is recommended by Home Retail Group and B&Q.

Userview® instructions make perfect sense

All small domestic appliances deserve great user manuals

Thu, 14 May 2009 21:59:47 +0100

JD Williams www.jdwilliams.co.uk is well known for its fashion catalogues and now import small domestic appliances like kettles and toasters and brand them ‘JDW’.

Like many UK companies they are sourcing an increasing number of products from factories in the Far East whose low costs are very attractive but whose ability to create product instructions to an acceptable standard is limited.

JD Williams want to enhance the reputation of the JDW brand by providing high quality user manuals because they recognise that time-wasting calls, complaints and product returns will all be reduced by having them created professionally.

So we create the user manuals for these products. Because they are straightforward everyday items we are able to write, illustrate and create the artwork for them within a few days.

New user guide for the Zone 40 games console

Wed, 13 May 2009 21:51:58 +0100

The Zone 40 games console by Ultimate Products www.ultimate-products.co.uk is a very competitively priced family product available in the UK and USA and we created the user guide for it. A tough challenge given that there are 40 games in the console and the software development team is based in the Far East.

The process was a collaborative exercise and included user testing the software with a group of games players in the UK. To make it easier to use, we reviewed and recommended improvements which were subsequently adopted and then the user guide was written, new illustrations created including ‘screen grabs’ for each of the games.

A2B Metro is a breeze to use

Mon, 11 May 2009 21:38:39 +0100

With the talk of saving the planet from excessive CO2 emissions it is great to see companies like Ultra Motor www.ultramotor.co.uk launching new products at the Gadget Show www.gadgetshowlive.net in April 2009.

The A2B makes getting around a breeze and does not cost the earth. It is a two wheeler that makes getting places easy and lets you arrive fresh thanks to an electric motor that boosts your ride when you need it most.

So it is satisfying to be able to do our little bit to help encourage people to adopt more environmentally-friendly modes of transport and maximise their enjoyment from it by creating the new owner manual.

New digital video clips for Crosswater to answer frequently asked questions

Thu, 7 May 2009 22:55:22 +0100

We’ve created new installation and maintenance video clips for a selection of basin and
shower mixers for use on the download section on the Crosswater website.

1. Installing a basin mixer DE110DPC
2. How to install a 3/4 inch bath shower mixer including fixing to bath and plumbing in DE422DC
3. Remove and replace a tap cartridge on a bath shower mixer
4. Troubleshoot and rectify thermostatic control problems and the on/off control (including replacing cartridge) for a twin control thermostatic shower valve KL1000RC

These will dramatically reduce the amount of time that customer service people spend time talking to customers on the phone. Some of the most frequently asked questions take the longest time to answer and so these clips will deliver clearer instructions in less time to customers.

We have an in-house digital video studio with lighting, cameras, voiceover and editing facilities to create helpful instruction video clips that can be delivered to a users PC or mobile phone.

User guides for Weathershield BackPack and Cuprinol PowerPad are easy to use

Wed, 6 May 2009 21:20:32 +0100

The successful Dulux Paintpod roller system for interior use sold 100,000 units in 2008 and included a user guide by Userview. In 2009 we have created user guides for two new products from AkzoNobel. The first is the Weathershield BackPack roller system for exterior use and the second is the Cuprinol PowerPad for protecting decking. Both products are easy to use and save users time.

We know from our research that over 50% of users would do more DIY if products were easier to use. But as products become more complicated user guides have to work harder to hep consumers complete their DIY tasks easier and quicker. Once this has been achieved this inspires them with more confidence to do even more DIY.

How can good product instructions reduce customer returns, save after sales costs and boost brand loyalty?

Mon, 4 May 2009 17:46:52 +0100

In these tough economic times, it’s good to hear about positive, achievable actions that can be taken by manufacturers and retailers to help protect profits. Userview®, a specialist agency, is helping brand owners and retailers reduce product returns by creating great product instructions on their behalf.

The cost of product returns is a much neglected area yet one that could be more tightly managed. Product returns is a cost often regarded as an unavoidable and necessary part of doing business, and one that comes as part of our consumer age. Returns are also a significant opportunity for profit leakage. And they really should be assessed and monitored. The costs concerned with product returns include those associated with calls, complaints, returning the items, assessing them, sorting out those that are defective or need repair and repackaging non-defective items ready for re-sale.

The potential for saving is significant if return rates can be reduced. An article by the management consulting, technology and outsourcing company Accenture1, estimated that the return rate for consumer electronic devices is anything between 11 - 20%. Around two thirds of these are ‘no fault found’ returns. In other words these items simply do not meet the purchaser’s expectations. (The other one third is made up of returns classified as ‘buyer’s remorse’ and defective items.) In fact, Accenture were able to put a price on the ‘total landed costs associated with returns’ as being in the range of 5 - 6% of revenues for manufacturers and 2 - 3% of sales for retailers. Not to be easily dismissed! The article makes an excellent argument for addressing the issues of both preventing returns in the first place and also examining the returns process. Download a copy of the article by clicking on the link below.

But one of the issues that can be addressed directly in ‘no fault found’ returns is the quality of the accompanying product instructions. They play a vital and significant role in giving the customer the best possible guidance in setting up and using their new purchase. Research2 has shown that the average US consumer will spend just 20 minutes or so trying to work out how a gadget works before giving up - and probably producing another return.

Good instructions also help reduce other after sales costs and drain on the business. We believe that an investment in good instructions pays dividends. On average, Userview® instructions create 20% less returns, 25% less calls and complaints and increase brand loyalty and repeat purchase than equivalent instructions created by brand owners or retailers. This is because of the way that they are written, designed, illustrated and user tested before publication. A further bonus is that instructions tend to be kept throughout the life of the product - they provide a great vehicle for promoting accessories or related products.

Good instructions not only help improve profits by reducing calls, complaints, reverse logistics, refunds and the dreaded litigation but can also enhance a brand and improve the customer’s ‘out of box’ experience. The Accenture article neatly underlines the importance of customer loyalty in the product returns equation. It really should not be underestimated, in fact it even has a bearing on future sales and costs as well - just look at these statistics:

25% of people who returned a product for any reason are unlikely to buy that brand again3. The cost of acquiring a new customer is 5 - 7 times the cost of retaining an existing one.4

There is no doubt in my mind that clear, well written, well presented instructions play an important role in helping to minimise the likelihood of a ‘no fault found’ return. And therefore minimising the associated costs. Not only that, but they are capable of building the overall brand experience, increasing the pleasure of using a product AND promoting brand loyalty. Bit of a bargain really!

Which product instructions are the most difficult to use and how can brand owners improve them?

Sat, 2 May 2009 21:49:54 +0100

Userview® regularly undertakes research into user attitudes to instructions. For this study we asked how important instructions were to their enjoyment and use of a product. What did they find most difficult and in which product groups did they have the worst experience? We also asked them whether they would return a product because of poor instructions and for their suggestions for making them easier to use.

Poor instructions were most frequently found with complex products where a relatively high degree of application and understanding was required by the user. Lighting, flat pack furniture and high tech items featured prominently and this was confirmed by the list of manufacturers and product groups that were mentioned by respondents as having poor instructions. The overwhelming majority (67%) recognised that good instructions were important to their enjoyment of a product.

Whilst nearly everyone said they recognised the importance of instructions, they were more reticent about whether they would return an item if it had poor instructions. 15% said that they would. 34% of people said they would not make a return, whilst 46% said they weren’t sure.

Complaints about instructions revolve around the standard of diagrams and the associated written instruction. Individual respondents’ comments indicate that the balance of words to pictures was also relevant to their use. There is also recognition that other factors get in the way of good instructions including layout, poor translations, too many languages, too much technical jargon and too many words.

When asked what would make product instructions easier to use there was a recurring theme that can be summed up with the words - clear, concise, straightforward, simple and step by step.

It seems obvious, but users felt that instructions and products should be designed from the user’s perspective and not the manufacture.

How do you make four 80 year olds helpless with laughter?

Sun, 19 Apr 2009 20:44:15 +0100

Put them in a room together with two mobile phone and a set of instructions

I had a very amusing conversation with my mother the other day. She described an afternoon of fun, hilarity and games with my father and a couple of their friends. At one point, they had been prostrate with helpless laughter on the sofa! So exhausted was she by it all that she was unable to sleep that night because her ribs ached so much with the exertion and mirth of it all.

And what had caused the afternoon’s amusement? A couple of mobile phones! And trying to get them working!

With my Mum at the helm, progress was definitely made. At first, a series of blank accidental texts were sent and they all experienced that Eek! moment. You know that one you get with technology? The one that comes whizzing over your shoulder. You suddenly manage to get this piece of puzzling technology to do something - but it’s taken you by surprise; how on earth did you do it?!

Later the same afternoon, an exciting series of scant looking texts emerged between the phones - although none of them were blessed with capital letters or spaces between the words. Progress! But then things then took a tumble. The text size became so large that the message could no longer be read on the phone’s screen. Now how did they do that?!

A few days later, the issue of predictive text reared its head. Annoyingly, it suddenly seemed to get itself switched on. My poor mother was forced to return to the phone shop for tuition in turning it on and turning it off. In fact, she continually has a list of ‘mobile phone queries’ on the go and these get run past Mike in the phone shop every time she is in town. Apparently, it’s an ongoing relationship.

Naturally, I enquired whether she had consulted the phone’s instructions. Then she really socked it to me between the eyes - in the nicest possible way, of course.

She pointed out that for her, the instructions were nearly totally illegible being a wishy-washy red printed onto blue paper. And anyway, the type size was far too small for her to manage. As it happens, she found the instructions were unintelligible as well. Although written in English they may just as well have been written in double Dutch. Her complaint was that once she managed to track down the relevant bits, they made no sense to her at all. The technical language and jargon were meaningless and the instructions therefore useless. She was left irritated, none the wiser - and still unable to use the function in question.
So - please - calling manufacturers of high tech gadgetary:

1. Write instructions with your end user in mind - all types of end user.
2. Avoid techno speak and use plain language.
3. Make instructions as accessible as possible. Tiny print is inaccessible to large groups of people - and that includes many of the over 45s.
4. Accessibility also means making sure there is adequate contrast between the print and paper colour.
5. For complex items like mobile phones, user test the instructions with a variety of people before you publish them.

And well done, my Mum! Not yet defeated, nor outwitted by technology!

Why is it so difficult to use flat pack furniture assembly instructions?

Mon, 2 Feb 2009 18:27:38 +0000

Do you get that sinking feeling?
Are you familiar with that sinking feeling when you unpack the contents of a flat packed product? The bits in all their vastness sprawl out across the entire floor; the prodigious loose bits promptly roll away from your grasp. And you are left with what looks like an enormous 3 dimensional jigsaw.

It would be great to get stuck in with confidence and not have to face the scary prospect of disentangling the inner meaning of those alarming looking product instructions! And that is, unfortunately, the depressing baseline where most of us travel from with regard to flat packed furniture.

Most flat pack furniture instructions are poor
We found that 45% of people in a Userview® survey said they had come across poor product instructions with flat packed furniture. The companies and individual items that topped their list with the worst instructions were flat pack retailers and furniture products. “Too difficult to follow” and “not easy to decipher” were two comments we came across about flat pack instructions. The worst was, “Incomprehensible” about instructions for a television stand.

Users tell us that good assembly instructions help them to enjoy using the product
Unsurprisingly, the research also showed that 65% of the respondents felt that good instructions are vital or increasingly important to their enjoyment and use of a product. A further 30% rated instructions as quite important. That’s a total of 95% of people who attach importance to product instructions. That’s not really news to you and me as consumers.

The trouble with flat pack products is that you want a piece of useable furniture at the end of the process - not a lopsided mess with some of the panels facing the wrong way. Yes, I’ve been there! Good instructions are a necessity, not an option. After all, it is difficult to return a half finished wardrobe to the store when it will remain half finished because the instructions are too difficult to follow. But for those companies that deliver direct to a customer’s home it is very costly to go and pick it up again.

We all sympathise with these two respondents who said:

“(The instructions were) utter rubbish, all the holes in the wrong place, all the parts look the same in the pictures”

“The instructions were for a different cupboard. Also parts would not fit together properly and had to make small modification”

First impressions really do count
The seeds of confidence in a flat packed product, and also in a customer’s ability to put it together, are sown when the instructions first tumble from the box. A glance at good looking, well composed, ordered instructions not only improve first impressions but also create a positive start and bolster confidence. A positive mindset is highly beneficial to anyone embarking on a flat pack project.

Userview instructions are easy to follow and inspire confidence to tackle bigger projects
Flat packed furniture assembly instructions need to be easy to follow, have clear diagrams and associated text in the relevant language all set out in a step-by-step process. At Userview®, we write, design and user test assembly instructions we make sure that the illustrations are of a consistent orientation and that we minimise the number of times that the user needs to lift or turn over the product during assembly. Any helpful tips or warning messages are communicated before a user needs them, not after. These comments show how difficult it can be to strike the right balance:

“The instructions (for the table) did not have any wording, just pictures. This did not make it easy to understand”

And about a bed “(There were) too many words, not enough images! Font size was too small!”

User testing pays dividends
For a complex consumer task such as assembling a piece of flat packed furniture, the instructions need to be tested by ordinary people, as an integral part of the creation process for them, and before they are slipped into thousands of boxes. This quickly focuses on areas of possible confusion and, here at Userview®, we usually find there is broad consensus amongst testers on the ‘sticky’ bits of initial drafts. These can then be easily improved before being printed.

There is an International Standard for instructions
Whilst this is another plea for better instructions, manufacturers should be aware that good instructions not only give consumers confidence but also allow them to use the product in the way it was intended, to keep them safe and to prevent misuse. These are the key principles stated in the International Standard for product instructions.

Good assembly instructions save after-sales costs
The result is happy, satisfied customers. Disgruntled customers cost money. They take up staff time answering their calls and trying to sort out their grievances. They have a habit of returning items. About 16% in our survey said that they would return a product if it had poor instructions and they expect a refund with all it associated in-house costs. Take our advice! Smooth the consumer’s path and save on your costs.

Top 20 product categories with poorest instructions identified by Userview

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:43:37 +0000

A recent consumer survey by Userview®, the specialist instruction writing agency, identifies the top twenty product categories with the poorest instructions. Consumers were asked in which product categories they had come across poor instructions.

If your company operates in any of these categories then you should view this as an opportunity to make sure your instructions are the best they can be to ensure they give you a competitive advantage.

What are the true costs to brand owners of poor instructions?

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 17:08:54 +0000

Most brand owners don’t fully understand how much poor instructions really costs them every year. By adding the time wasted and the costs from excessive calls, complaints, returns and refunds to the negative on-line chatter on product review websites, they should calculate the total cost to their brands. In which case they would be also be surprised to learn that good instructions significantly reduce all of these factors and so can have a dramatic and very positive impact on their business.

Good instructions improve brand loyalty and repeat purchase
If new product development or marketing managers realised the impact bad instructions had on customers ‘out of box’ experience, they might spend a little less on packaging or advertising and invest more in great product instructions. If only they had an insight into how perception of quality, value for money and overall satisfaction are affected. When these factors are combined with improved brand loyalty and repeat purchase, they would definitely allocate more budget. But how much should they actually invest? Specialist instruction writing agency, Userview®, has developed a ‘predictive’ Return On Investment (ROI) model to help brand owners decide just how much. The agency has research findings that demonstrates some impressive client cost savings and positive impact on customers.

Maximise sales of own-brand accessories
Brand owners could also make extra sales by promoting branded accessories and consumables in the product instructions. After all, instructions are often kept for many years and can provide useful information on servicing and ordering replacement parts.

Customer safety is increasingly important
There is an international standard for product instructions and a key principle of this standard is that the instructions are an integral part of the product and should enable customers to use it correctly, safely and to prevent misuse. If the instructions are poorly written or ‘faulty’ then so is the product. Make sure instructions comply with this standard.

Reduce warranty or compensation claims
Handling warranty or compensation claims is time consuming and the actual cost of settling them can far exceed the profit achieved from the original sale. Great product instructions will reduce the likelihood of claims and litigation because customers find it difficult to argue that the instructions prevented them from using the product correctly, safely or from misusing it.

Helping to save the environment
For every returned product there is a wasted customer journey plus transportation costs. Cutting returns saves time, cuts journeys and CO2 emissions as well as landfill waste.

Get independent, expert help and advice on improving instructions

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 17:42:02 +0000

Craig Thatcher, is an instructions expert and director of, Userview®. He has developed a ‘predictive’ Return On Investment (ROI) model to help brand owners decide how much to invest in good instructions by simply getting them to answer some basic questions.

His agency also provides help and expert advice by reviewing existing instructions and then making recommendations on how the instructions, or the process that creates them, can be improved.

If you don’t know where to start to improve your own instructions, you can out-source some or all of the process to Userview®. This specialist instruction writing agency create great product instructions that comply with the international standard for instructions and user test them to ensure they are easy to follow.

Want more information or any questions?
Email craig@userview.co.uk for a short PDF
presentation or call 07711 388452.

70 new and improved installation instructions for The Light Corporation

Sun, 5 Oct 2008 14:06:05 +0100

The Light Corporation are Lighting Consultants, Designers and Manufacturers based in Hertfordshire and have appointed us to create installation instructions for the range of products featured in their latest inspirational handbook.

Instructions are required for seventy products across seven categories which include downlights, spotlights, wall lights and exterior lights. The Light Corporation has ambitious plans to grow its business through new product development and to dramatically increase the ease of installing their products.

Clear, easy-to-use instructions, using words and diagrams, will be created, a format which research shows is overwhelmingly preferred by users. The instructions will comply with the International Standard for product instructions and the relevant European safety standards. In addition, we will conduct user testing towards the end of the process. This involves observing typical users installing the lights with any ambiguities in the instructions highlighted and amended prior to publication.

“Good installation instructions are an integral part of our marketing strategy and will help enhance our brand loyalty in a very competitive market”.
David Caddick, Director at The Light Corporation

David goes on to say, “Craig Thatcher tells us to expect that we will receive fewer technical call-outs and ‘no-fault-found’ product returns as a result of improving the installation instructions”.

Grow the home enhancement market by making products and their instructions easier to use

Fri, 3 Oct 2008 15:57:45 +0100

Over 50% of consumers who took part in Userview® surveys said they would do more DIY if they knew that the instructions were easier to follow. Product instructions are completely undervalued by the majority of manufacturers and brand owners. But it is the opposite for their customers. This is a costly mistake because our research reveals that more than 66% of respondents to a recent survey say that instructions are increasingly or vitally important to them”.

Clear instructions dramatically improve the ‘out of box’ user experience and increase brand loyalty.

An excellent example in the home enhancement market is the new Dulux Paintpod. Userview® created and user tested the product instructions for the product, which was launched earlier this year. It is a self cleaning paint roller system and a new concept to home decoration. TV advertising is promoting ‘painting just got easier’ and the user guide strongly supports the proposition.