Smart names

It’s important that the way we talk about Smart as an organisation and the way we talk about our products and services is both correct and consistent.

This page gives you an overview of how we talk about ourselves and our products when we write on Smart’s behalf. The key things to remember are:

refer to Smart in the first person plural (we, us, our) and not first person singular (I, me)
refer to the reader in the second person (you)
make sure you're using the correct name for the product and the user you're writing about
stay in the active voice

Referring to ourselves and our readers

When writing for Smart, you should usually refer to the organisation, or any team within the organisation, in the first person plural. For example:

“we offer the fastest, easiest to use workplace pensions platform in the UK”
“research is a great way to learn and understand our users’ needs”
"here in the Marketing Team, we've been working closely with the content designers in the UX team"
“contact us for more information”

Depending on context, you might need to refer to Smart in the third person. For example, in press releases, or anywhere you don't want the content to sound like it's being written by Smart. In this case, you would refer to Smart in the singular, as we are one singular organisation.

"Smart is launching a new product" – not "Smart are launching a new product"

This also applies when you refer to a team within Smart that you are not a part of.

"The Marketing Team is sending an email" - not "The Marketing team are sending an email"

You should always refer to the reader in the second person singular. For example:

“please enter your password”
“you can use our software to reassess employees”

We use the first person for us and the second person for the reader because:

it builds trust with our audience – we’re addressing them as an equal
it’s a friendly and approachable way to write
it’s easier to read – making it a clearer way to communicate
it fits in with our overall tone of voice.

How we talk about ourselves and our products

Smart –the name of the organisation as a whole. Not to be used to refer to the Smart Pension product, or used interchangeably with the term Smart Pension.

Smart Pension – The name of our pension product.
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Smart Pension account – Users have a Smart Pension account.

‍We avoid using the term portal or member portal by saying "sign into your account to..." and "please sign into your Smart Pension account."

You can specify employee account, employer account or adviser account if you need to.

Smart Pension Master Trust and the scheme – When referring to the pension scheme, it should be called Smart Pension Master Trust in the first instance. For example, "your employer has enrolled you in the Smart Pension Master Trust."

You can call it the scheme after this. For example: "if you would like to leave the scheme..."

How we talk about our users

More than one term can fit to one person. How we refer to them depends on the scenario.

Scheme members or members – Anyone who has a pension with Smart. They don't need to be opted-in and contributing to be a member of the scheme.
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Active member – Members who are currently enrolled, who have been opted in, joined or rejoined a scheme. They don't need to be actively contributing to their pension
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Deferred member– Members who have ceased membership or opted out.

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Employees – Someone who actively works for a company who uses or who is looking to use Smart Pension, or worked for them when they used Smart Pension.

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Employers – Those who use Smart Pension to administer their workplace pension scheme.

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Advisers – Financial advisers who work on behalf of multiple employers.
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Clients – Corporate customers who buy white labelling, platform as a service (PaaS) or other products from us. Employers and advisers who use Smart Pension.

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on request

Instead of using the term on request use the term if you ask instead

on the grounds that

Instead of using the term on the grounds that use the term because instead

on the occasion that

Instead of using the term on the occasion that use the term when, if instead

operate

Instead of using the term operate use the term work, run instead

optimum

Instead of using the term optimum use the term best, ideal instead

option

Instead of using the term option use the term choice instead

ordinarily

Instead of using the term ordinarily use the term normally, usually instead

otherwise

Instead of using the term otherwise use the term or instead

outstanding

Instead of using the term outstanding use the term unpaid instead

owing to

Instead of using the term owing to use the term because of instead

partially

Instead of using the term partially use the term partly instead

participate

Instead of using the term participate use the term join in, take part instead

particulars

Instead of using the term particulars use the term details, facts instead

per annum

Instead of using the term per annum use the term a year instead

perform

Instead of using the term perform use the term do instead

permissible

Instead of using the term permissible use the term allowed instead

permit

Instead of using the term permit use the term let, allow instead

personnel

Instead of using the term personnel use the term people, staff instead

persons

Instead of using the term persons use the term people, anyone instead

peruse

Instead of using the term peruse use the term read, read carefully, look at instead

place

Instead of using the term place use the term put instead

possess

Instead of using the term possess use the term have, own instead

possessions

Instead of using the term possessions use the term belongings instead

practically

Instead of using the term practically use the term almost, nearly instead

predominant

Instead of using the term predominant use the term main instead

prescribe

Instead of using the term prescribe use the term set, fix instead

preserve

Instead of using the term preserve use the term keep, protect instead

Instead of using the term previous use the term earlier, before, last instead

principal

Instead of using the term principal use the term main instead

prior to

Instead of using the term prior to use the term before instead

proceed

Instead of using the term proceed use the term go ahead instead

procure

Instead of using the term procure use the term get, obtain, arrange instead

profusion of

Instead of using the term profusion of use the term plenty, too many (or say how many) instead

prohibit

Instead of using the term prohibit use the term ban, stop instead

projected

Instead of using the term projected use the term estimated instead

prolonged

Instead of using the term prolonged use the term long instead

promptly

Instead of using the term promptly use the term quickly, at once instead

promulgate

Instead of using the term promulgate use the term advertise, announce instead

proportion

Instead of using the term proportion use the term part instead

provide

Instead of using the term provide use the term give instead

provided that

Instead of using the term provided that use the term if, as long as instead

provisions

Instead of using the term provisions use the term rules, terms instead

proximity

Instead of using the term proximity use the term closeness, nearness instead

purchase

Instead of using the term purchase use the term buy instead

pursuant to

Instead of using the term pursuant to use the term under, because of, in line with instead

qualify for

Instead of using the term qualify for use the term can get, be able to get instead

reconsider

Instead of using the term reconsider use the term think again about, look again at instead

reduce

Instead of using the term reduce use the term cut instead

reduction

Instead of using the term reduction use the term cut instead

refer to

Instead of using the term refer to use the term talk about, mention instead

referred to as

Instead of using the term referred to as use the term called instead

regarding

Instead of using the term regarding use the term about, on instead

regulation

Instead of using the term regulation use the term rule instead

reimburse

Instead of using the term reimburse use the term repay, pay back instead

reiterate

Instead of using the term reiterate use the term repeat, restate instead

relating to

Instead of using the term relating to use the term about instead

remain

Instead of using the term remain use the term stay instead

remainder

Instead of using the term remainder use the term the rest, what is left instead

remittance

Instead of using the term remittance use the term payment instead

remuneration

Instead of using the term remuneration use the term pay, wages, salary instead

render

Instead of using the term render use the term make, give, send instead

represent

Instead of using the term represent use the term show, stand for, be instead

request

Instead of using the term request use the term ask, question instead

require

Instead of using the term require use the term need, want, force instead

requirements

Instead of using the term requirements use the term needs, rules instead

reside

Instead of using the term reside use the term live instead

residence

Instead of using the term residence use the term home, where you live instead

restriction

Instead of using the term restriction use the term limit instead

retain

Instead of using the term retain use the term keep instead

review

Instead of using the term review use the term look at (again) instead

revised

Instead of using the term revised use the term new, changed instead

said/such/same

Instead of using the term said/such/same use the term the, this, that instead

scrutinise

Instead of using the term scrutinise use the term read (look at) carefully instead

select

Instead of using the term select use the term choose instead

settle

Instead of using the term settle use the term pay instead

similarly

Instead of using the term similarly use the term also, in the same way instead

solely

Instead of using the term solely use the term only instead

specified

Instead of using the term specified use the term given, written, set instead

state

Instead of using the term state use the term say, tell us, write down instead

statutory

Instead of using the term statutory use the term legal, by law instead

subject to

Instead of using the term subject to use the term depending on, under, keeping to instead

submit

Instead of using the term submit use the term send, give instead

subsequent to/upon

Instead of using the term subsequent to/upon use the term after instead

subsequently

Instead of using the term subsequently use the term later instead

substantial

Instead of using the term substantial use the term large, great, a lot of instead

substantially

Instead of using the term substantially use the term more or less instead

sufficient

Instead of using the term sufficient use the term enough instead

supplement

Instead of using the term supplement use the term go with, add to instead

supplementary

Instead of using the term supplementary use the term extra, more instead

supply

Instead of using the term supply use the term give, sell, delivery instead

terminate

Instead of using the term terminate use the term stop, end instead

that being the case

Instead of using the term that being the case use the term if so instead

the question as to whether

Instead of using the term the question as to whether use the term whether instead

thereafter

Instead of using the term thereafter use the term then, afterwards instead

thereby

Instead of using the term thereby use the term by that, because of that instead

therein

Instead of using the term therein use the term in that, there instead

thereof

Instead of using the term thereof use the term of that instead

thereto

Instead of using the term thereto use the term to that instead

thus

Instead of using the term thus use the term so, therefore instead

to date

Instead of using the term to date use the term so far, up to now instead