Talk human to me: Is your scheme speaking the right language?

Written by Heywood | Sep 29, 2025 2:00:00 PM

Every member. Three minutes. A pension they actually understand.

Digital pension platforms promise higher contributions and access to disconnected demographics. But is simply having a digital presence enough, or does success require a little more human touch?

A new wave of technologies can help providers move beyond generic, one-way interactions and provide truly hyper-personal experiences with minimal effort.

Going digital is not enough

Research from Heywood and Money Alive has shown a common theme in disconnected members - a lack of understanding.

“It can be a battle to get members’ eyes on things - pensions can often put people off” said a Scottish pension fund with 75,000 members.

The use of technical terminology and financial values presented without context can result in member confusion. Conversely, members feel empowered when content is clear, data-driven and respects their time.

One Welsh pension fund said, “We had tried our best to make annual benefit statements as clear and easy to understand as possible, but they still contained a lot of information. We wanted to share something easy to understand”.

Hyper personalisation

Enter Heywood’s Video Engage, a dynamic and interactive engagement tool that uses a human voice and presenter to display member information in just three minutes.

The AI avatar uses a human face and voice to explain pension figures, including monthly retirement incomes and lump sum impacts. Video Engage presents a clear and practical oversight and flexibly accommodates multiple languages.

After launching Video Engage, a London-based customer said “It covers everyone – we have had feedback from senior fund members who have said that it isn’t patronising or too simple or low level”.

AI, but make it secure

Artificial intelligence (AI) offers opportunities to move beyond ‘one size fits all’ member content, though caution is needed.

Video Engage deploys the Money Alive video technology into the Heywood ecosystem, seamlessly extracting relevant information from pension statements.

In doing so, member data is not exposed, while the power of AI is harnessed in the presenter avatar and script.

Proof, not hype

Video Engage connects members with their pension, breaking down barriers to support informed financial decisions.

“The queries we now receive from members are less about statements and more about taking action. People appreciate that the video is succinct, easy to understand, and gives key information.”

An English scheme reported the ultimate engagement outcome - proactive interaction and increased contributions from those on the lower end of the pay scale. This forgotten and hard-to-reach demographic cited the use of ‘plain English’ to help them understand their pension.

“The monthly information is a clearer picture of what members will have to live on in the future. Video Engage clarifies everything – in a couple of minutes, members get how it works and the figures, all without jargon.”

One size does not fit all

The timing, delivery method and format of pension information will dictate the future of member engagement, and Heywood is here to help schemes take the next step.

Pension details don’t have to overwhelm. Heywood Video Engage makes them clear, engaging and memorable.

This article was previously published on page 59 of European Pensions magazine. You can find a digital copy of the Autumn 2025 edition here: https://www.europeanpensions.net/ep/ep-digital-editions.php

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