These are the pillars of our tone of voice

The right language can make all the difference to our users and can help solidify Ontop as a reliable and forward-thinking platform.

Our purpose is to provide an experience where users can achieve their financial goals. We need to guide them without getting in their way.

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The brand

Ontop wants to break geographic borders by helping companies and workers become global. Our product allows people to work and receive money everywhere. We aim to become the preferred account for global workers.

We are a global payroll solution with built-in financial services. Our aim is to help companies hire and pay people anywhere in the world and help workers access global financial freedom

The users

Payroll and accessing payments from different global locations can be complex through wire transfers.

Workers and companies want to avoid complications when it comes to payroll. Both sides want everything simplified and accessible in a safe platform they can trust.
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The interaction

This document specifies how we communicate with our users. The voice, tone, and language that defines our interaction.

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Voice

Language

We want to use the most simple words without being too casual.

Use plain English and avoid sounding too stiff. We want to be professional to maintain our users’ trust but do so with a modern image that appeals to every type of client and worker.

Spelling

Use plain English, US spelling, and grammar.

For example: Use “organization” rather than the British “organisation”

Emojis

Avoid the use of emojis. The only instances where emojis could have a place in the future is in emails and notifications of a positive nature.

For example: “You have completed your first transaction, congratulations! ”

Pronouns

Use the 2nd person (you).

This makes the user feel that the content is made specifically for them and that they own the experience.

Use “Your transfer is ready,” rather than “transfer ready”
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‍Do not use when talking about something on our side: “We can’t seem to find that record”

Characteristics

Capitalization

Use sentence-case capitalization.
This means capitalizing only the first word of any heading/sentence/phrase and any proper nouns (Names, titles, etc.). Don’t use title capitalization.

For example: Correct capitalization (sentence-case) Account management

Punctuation

Periods: Only use in large sentences.

Mostly in notifications and notices where there is a need to express information in two separate sentences.

For example: “Due to technical problems, we are unable to show exchange rates at the moment. We are working to solve this problem. Thank you for your patience.”

Contractions

Use contractions to maintain a relatable voice.
Use:
It’s
You’re
Don’t
Instead of:
It is
You are
Do not

Avoid mixing contractions and spelled-out versions in the same messages or text.

Amounts

For US dollar amounts, use the amount number, followed by USD.
For example: 5.00 USD, 1,000.00 USD

Use a comma when referring to quantities in thousands or millions of dollars
For example: 2,500.00 USD

Use a period as a decimal point when referring to cents.
For example: 25.00 USD, 3.35 USD,
1,234.67 USD

Passive voice vs Active voice

Always try to use an active voice.
Passive voice tends to require more characters and doesn’t have the same actionable effect as active voice.
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Examples: Passive voice:
Your money has been transferred
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Active Voice:
Your transfer is complete

Dates

For dates use the format month, day and year

For example, July 24, 2024

Words and terms
to avoid

Employer and employee:
People working through Ontop don’t classify as employees and therefore the clients are not their employers.
Instead use:
Client and worker
For example:
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Wrong: Please refer to your employee contract and contact your employer with any questions

Right: Please refer to your worker contract and contact your client if you have any questions.

Tone

Now that you know what to say, it’s time to find out how to say it. This is where tone comes in. The tone is what differentiates us from our competitors and can make all the difference to our users.

While the voice addresses a lot of practical and visual issues, the tone is meant to generate positive feelings in our users.

So, what is our tone?

Welcoming and inviting: We don’t want users to feel like they are applying for a loan or must pass a test. We want them to feel like we are inviting them on a new and exciting journey. We want to give a sense of wanderlust and adventure.

Simple: Our job is to simplify users’ lives by providing a seamless experience. Never make them doubt or hesitate, there should be an easy flow from one action to the other.

Tone of Voice