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Many
industries are full of ‘jargon’ – technical
terms that make it possible to have effective
communication with fellow professionals and trades
people. Just imagine having to give some
instructions to a builder using non-technical
language. It would take twice as many words - and he
or she would probably still get it wrong! For effective
communication with colleagues, jargon is essential.
Yet, when it comes to
communicating with clients, use of jargon becomes a
little more complex. It cannot be eliminated
completely for two reasons. Firstly, because some
things simply don’t have an ‘ordinary’ name.
You can either say "cornice" or "that
bit where the wall meets the ceiling".
Secondly, clients like to hear you use
industry jargon (it give them more confidence in
your expertise) – just as long as they still understand
you.
Know
when you are using it
The other main danger
with jargon is that you become so familiar with
terms that you forget that they are
industry-specific. Your client might not understand
you – and, more often than not, they will not tell
you for fear of sounding foolish. This can seriously
hinder effective communication. I am sure we can all
remember times when we have questioned a client on
some aspect of a project, only to have them say
later "but, that’s not what I wanted!"
Obviously, they have not understood your question
– and you get the blame for not interpreting their
wishes correctly.
A good safeguard is
to always be aware when you use jargon – and when
you do, make sure that you include some additional
information. For example, you could point to the
relevant part as you mention it, or mention it in
such a context that the client can understand even
if they haven’t heard the word before. This
ensures that you have good communication with your
client at all times. They will feel comfortable with
you and will come back time after time. |
