Sensis® in the Community

Through the iconic Yellow Pages® and White Pages® directories, Sensis has been part of Australian communities for 130 years. We are committed to supporting and connecting Australians by investing in the communities we operate in.

Yellow Pages® Local Community Partnerships

Every year our regional offices invest money and resources in their local communities. This could be for a local organisation, a charity or a community fund, a town development or local event. We have invested more than $1 million since the program began in 2006.

Sensis® charity partners & matched payroll giving

Sensis proudly supports 20 Australian charities through Matched Payroll Giving and fundraising support. This means every time our people donate to one of our charity partners through teh Matched Payroll Giving program, Sensis matches that donation dollar for dollar.

Supporting our people in the community

Sensis® employees are given one day of paid volunteer leave a year to work with a registered charity. This could include anything from planting trees to preparing food for the homeless. Our people have invested more than 10,000 hours in volunteer leave across a wide variety of community activities since the program began in 2006.

Emergency Relief Partners We are committed to supporting communities in times of crisis through our Emergency Relief Partners, the Red Cross and The Salvation Army. In 2009/10, we donated more than $700k of advertising to our Emergency Relief Partners on the covers of the Yellow Pages® and White Pages® directories.

Yellow Pages® and White Pages® covers program

Every year we feature local heroes on the cover of the Yellow Pages® and White Pages® books. in regional areas, and White Pages® books in metropolitan areas. This is an ongoing opportunity to pay tribute to people making outstanding contributions to their local community.

See whitepagescommunity.com.au for more information.

Why is the format of the books different this year?

The existing size of the book has been one of the biggest complaints of our users. There are a large number of people who rely on the book and found the existing format difficult to handle – rather than promote usage of the book, the size of the book hindered usage. By changing the format, we aim to encourage more people to use, keep and store the book.

What is the difference between the compact-size books and the existing format?

The height and width of the compact-size books has been reduced by 15%.

How will this impact the content in the book?

The compact-size book contains the comprehensive content and features Australians have grown to love and rely on. 

What design and layout changes have you included in the compact-size book?

Aside from presenting the book in a more compact, user-friendly format, we’ve also included several design and layout changes to make it easier for people to find the product or service their looking for.

These improvements for Yellow Pages include:

• the use of colour to highlight the suburb names in each line listing; 

• stronger and sharper heading blocks; 

• improved Fast Find Index;

• colour highlights in the Telltales at the top of each page

• the inclusion of web and email listings  

These improvements for White Pages include:

• a new typeface, ‘Bell Centennial’, will be applied to standard listing entries and additional lines of content to enhance readability.  
• spacing to be inserted between number, street and suburb in the address line to enhance readability. 1

• redesigned telltales (the letter and word that appears on the top of each page) to further improve navigation to the correct page.

What font is being used for White Pages® content?

The font is called Bell Centennial. It is a font used by other directory companies around the world and it has been selected specifically for its clarity in a compact format White Pages®.

Why has this font been chosen?

The font has been designed specifically for White Pages® content because the shape of the letters and numbers are sharper, providing greater clarity than the old typeface. Through consumer testing of a number of different fonts, we know that Bell Centennial provides the best user experience.

Why can’t you use the new format with the old font?

The simple answer is we’ll end up with the existing problem – a book size that isn’t user-friendly. So, we’ll continue to look for ways to improve the book and find a better balance between book format and the font size. This is something we’re continuing to work on and we’ll take our user feedback into account when considering future improvements to the book.

Who did Sensis consult with when it decided to introduce the format changes?

Prior to introducing this new format, Sensis consulted with a number of stakeholders over a long period of time including our consumers and advertisers, the Federal Government, the Council on the Ageing, Vision Australia and the Australian Consumer Communications Action Network.

Did Sensis test the new format?

The introduction of the compact size print directories was the culmination of more than 12 months of research. This included testing with a variety of users from a number of different age groups, including people who are elderly or require glasses to read.  Sensis also distributed a limited volume of compact directories to selected suburbs in Sydney in July 2010.  The results from these tests and trials confirmed that this format was the most appropriate for the print directories.

Why are magnifying aids being provided?

The provision of magnifying aids are part of an existing Telstra program to offer free magnifying aids to people who seek further support when they use the directories.  These magnifying aids have been available for many years to assist our users. 

How can I get a magnifying aid?

Anyone can order a magnifying aid free of charge by calling 1800 625 944, Monday-Friday 8am-8pm eastern standard time or sending your name and address (including state and postcode) to magnifier@sensis.com.au.  Please allow 4 weeks from the time you order to receive your magnifier.

How long does it take for the magnifying aids to arrive?

It varies, but please allow approximately four weeks.

I don’t want a print directory delivered, how can I stop them from being delivered?

Everyone has a choice. If you would prefer not to have the print directories delivered you can cancel delivery by ringing 1800 008 292 or by visiting www.directoryselect.com.au

Where is the compact-size book being distributed?

Copies of the compact size White Pages book were distributed in Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane and Sydney last year. It will be distributed in Melbourne this year. Copies of the compact size Yellow Pages book were distributed in Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne in late 2011 and in early 2012. In regional markets, White Pages and Yellow Pages content is delivered together in a single volume book. Copies of the compact book in regional markets will be distributed between March and June this year.