What language do you use? – Customer Service Tips

 
When I initially set up my customer service company and published my service strategy book, I wanted to set up a website.  I wanted to set up a site that communicated clearly that I had hands on experience developing and implementing service strategies that could help companies provide a differentiated customer service experience that made them more profitable, and I wanted my site to be found if someone did a google search.  Never having personally set up a website before, and not being a technology expert, I often have questions.  Often, however, I find that I am more confused after I have asked my question than before I began.  I want to know how to be found on google, and in the response I receive I will hear terms such as ‘SEO’, ‘search engine spiders’, ‘robots.txt file’ and ‘meta tag’.  To put it simply:  ‘huh’?

When working with our clients it is important to realize that our clients are not experts in our business.  If they were, they wouldn’t need to work with us.  It’s also important to realize every industry has it’s own jargon, industry-specific terms and sometimes even business-specific terms that our clients probably do not understand.  That’s right.  If you are an accountant, health care provider, financial services professional, realtor, technician, technical professional or manufacturer – chances are you are using industry-specific language.  You may feel this helps make you look like an expert in your field, but your clients are probably simply confused.    

Remember our clients do business with us because they are not an expert in our field.  Using our language, and not theirs will alienate you from your clients.  Make your clients feel important by speaking their language and provide a great service experience in the process.