By Will Sturgeon, 14 April 2004 17:30
NEWS Confusing technical jargon is being used to sell more than a quarter of all IT kit according to an alarming new survey.
According to research from VIA NET.WORKS 26 per cent of SMEs admitted to buying the wrong kit simply because they were blinded by jargon.
The one grey area is whether the obfuscation is deliberate as salespeople unsettle customers with techno-speak and sales double-talk or whether it is just due to the rapid evolution of the acronym-rich IT market and general confusion about the best solutions on the market.
The suggestion of mis-selling, or deliberately blinding with jargon, is an accusation which is taken very seriously within the sales sector.
The MD of one IT consultancy, who asked to remain anonymous, told silicon.com: "I don't think I have ever personally come across an occasion of mis-selling and would look upon it very seriously if I ever did. I wouldn't discount it ever having happened though as there is always a less than scrupulous element in any industry.
"It just falls to the rest of us to uphold good practice when it comes to advising our clients."
A fifth of respondents to the survey - perhaps among those who've fallen foul of jargon in the past - said sales should all be conducted in 'plain English' and jargon should be avoided to prevent confusion. After all it's in the salespeople's best interest not to leave customers feeling as though they've been misled.
Nick Callaghan, managing director of VIA NET.WORKS UK, said: "Although it is hard to eliminate the use of technical terms in our industry, we have a duty to our customers to ensure we explain technology clearly and relate it to their business."
Callaghan added that clear communication of business benefits and "translating technology into layman's terms" should form a vital part of any sales discussion.
Comments
There are 7 comments. Join the discussion
1. Angus Doyle
that is alarming, if someone does not know what they are buying with regards to IT, then they should not be in there Position.
2. anonymous
It's not a con trick, it's incompetance.
In my experience most sales people know nothing about the product they are selling beyond the 2 sides of paper with key selling points they've been given.
Most don't understand what this paperwork says, and can not answer even the simplest of questions about the products functions.
I generally refuse to buy anything now until I've spoken to a pre-sales technical expert, and if the company can't provide one I'll go elsewhere.
3. Colin Campbell
I think it's just a case of the old Joke....
Whats the differnece between a used car salesman and an IT salesman?
The used car salesman knows when he's lying to you.
The error is not with the sales people it's with the vendors who provide low grade dumbed down training for their sales people. Focussing more on the commercial than the technical.
4. Michael Alexander
All the reader comments are true, and here's another. The sales representative is trained to present a technical feature-benefit approach to a problem. Unfortunately, he cannot translate that information into problem-solving language; he/she wasn't trained for it. I'd say to the sales rep, "here's another acronym for you: What is my ROI, if I purchase your product?" If the rep can answer that in plain language, and proves it, then he has earned the sale.
5. Roy Hinds
Having been an IT sales professional for over 15 years, I feel compelled to say increasingly the market gets what it deserves.
The degree of intelligent questioning from the average customer has fallen dramatically over the last 10 years, so quite frankly the sales person who gets way with the scripted smoke and mirrors approach deserves to get way with it, simply because the customer has increasingly allowed them to do so.
A quote from the economist in 1978 puts it quite well
"One educated guess is that upwards of half the computer users in the world are discontented; but that three-quarters of those have only themselves to blame."
It concerns me when I am not asked challenging questions by a companies IT department, it's a sure sign that they also are likely to be clueless as to the actual requirements of the business users.
Most professional sales people would happily see the cowboys driven out of town, however the customers sign the purchase orders that fund the commission cheques.
The fault is both sides of the table.
6. Simon Berglund
Having been involved in consultative IT sales for over a decade, I believe the most common reason for a "mis-selling" situation developing is the customer nodding their head in understanding of what you have told them. They do not want to appear like they do not know what you are talking about. Concurrently, it is nigh on impossible for a sales person to avoid jargon or technical concepts. It comes down to a buyer having the confidence to speak up when they do not understand, and a competent seller knowing when the customer really does not appear to understand.
7. anonymous
As a client of Via Networks, I suggest Mr Callaghan tries to focus on service as opposed to PR. Were he to spend a bit of time trying to communicate with his own Customer Services he would soon realise that his customer's issues are service rather than jargon related. If our experiences are typical, their client retention is appauling. Trying to attract new clients via cheap PR stunts will not solve more fundamental and business critical issues that Via New are clearly suffering from