The other day the hard drive in my laptop went out. I had to call customer support for the warranty service so that they could repair my laptop. When calling in the representative asked me a bunch of questions, both basic and technical. I am somewhat computer savvy, so I was able to talk the language, but for some customers I can imagine how foreign some of the vocabulary can be. In providing customer support, it is important to use words that your customers understand and not technical jargon. Jargon is unnecessarily complicated, technical language used to impress, rather than to inform, your audience. Plain Language
Some things to consider when using technical jargon:
- Acronyms that can be specific to your industry
- Slang words
- Phrases that are complicated or advanced
It is important that customer support personnel have the ability to listen to the customer’s capabilities before using jargon. Eliminating most jargon is important so that the customer doesn’t feel like they are being talked down to. Technical jargon has a place in business but when it comes to customer support, it is important to use responses that the general public can understand.