How to lose a Customer in 10 days...
To be a successful software developer, you have to become a skilled communicator.
You think you're a good communicator...You keep your users informed and you listen to their problems. So why is it that no one appears to read your e-mails or seems capable of following your instructions? Are you surprised to learn that the users have been living with computer issues rather than ask you for help? These are all signs of a breakdown in communication -- which we, as software developers, frequently misinterpret as user indifference or even stupidity. Before long, we find ourselves on a downward spiral toward complete communications failure. Even with the best intentions, it's possible to sabotage your own attempts to communicate with the users by inadvertently committing one or more of the following errors of miscommunication.
- Inappropriate nonverbal communication :: Our words may say "Absolutely, yes, of course I don't mind helping you map the network drive," while our facial expressions, tone, and body language simultaneously scream, "You complete and utter knob, do you honestly think that I spent four years at uni, have an IQ of 167, and earned 53 technical certifications just so I could map your network drive? Would you like me to wipe your arse as well?" --- quote Techrepublic
- Showing off :: Using every technical piece of jargon imaginable....all you are doing is making your customer feel stupid...
- Losing patience
- Being dismissive
- Failure to inform
- Poor documentation
- Lying :: In short, when presented with a problem you can't resolve, for whatever reason, it's far better to be direct with users and help them find a resolution by some other means rather than mask our ignorance or unwillingness as an insoluble technical issue.
- Giving too much information :: Honesty may be the best policy, but this does not mean it's appropriate to overburden the users with too much information. They may actually not need you or worse still realise they know more than you...
- Not providing training
- Failing to listen
Communication is a two-way process.
Hopefully these are others errors and not ours...
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