How many times have you found yourself in a conversation where everything being said goes completely over your head? You try to hold your own by nodding a little bit, smiling just slightly, and every few breaths saying something like, “Ah, yes! Excellent point,” all while having no clue what was just said. Those of you familiar with the show, Friends, remember Joey as the master of pretending to follow along with the conversation.
While you may not suffer from as many “Joey” moments as Joey himself, there is a strong likelihood that you’ve contributed to someone else’s. Being in our industry can cause a lot of confusion when we introduce our lingo to a new employee, a potential client or even include in our everyday conversations.
New Employees
Transitioning to a new company is hard enough by itself. We’re constantly looking for ways to make the onboarding process easier for new employees and new offices. It’s important to keep in mind that new employees need to be educated on a host of different aspects like, the benefits we offer, our work policies, our processes and other pertinent information. It can be a lot to take in, so it couldn’t be more essential to adjust our lingo and spell out every acronym. As you continue to grow your regions, offices and departments, being mindful of your communications will build better bridges and allow someone to feel more comfortable in their new role or new company.
Clients/Prospects
One of the reasons our clients are coming to us is because they need an expert in HR, Benefits and Employee Management. As the experts, it’s important to recognize that not everyone is familiar with our language. This is especially true when connecting with prospects. We all know how tough it can be just getting our foot in the door, yet alone holding their attention. Keep in mind the average attention span has dropped to just 8 seconds, one second less than a goldfish. Perhaps rattling off acronyms and healthcare terminology too soon is only contributing to the communication barriers we face. Keep your words in mind every time you interact with a client or prospect.
Everyday Conversations
When meeting someone for the first time, one of the most common questions asked is, “What do you do?” or “What does your company do?” We’ve talked about elevator speeches and how you have a limited time to provide a well-crafted message. One thing that is easily overlooked is the way in which you’re communicating all the sophisticated solutions and services we offer. Make sure what you’re saying is the balance of intelligence and easy-to-understand.
The bottom line: acronyms and industry lingo can be a detriment to any conversation you’re having. The benefit to working with or understanding OneDigital is that we have a knack for connecting with people and making them feel like part of the team, even if they aren’t as familiar with our language. Whether you encounter a new employee, a client or prospect, or just someone in passing, our goal to simplify the healthcare journey will always remain the same.
