Think about it – do your customers need a dictionary in their pockets in order to understand your mobile Web site?
There’s a major push for the use of plain language in the world today. The U.S. Federal Government even has a Web site that advocates the use of clear communication in government writing. I love the purpose – but one of the hyperlinks on the home page of their 
Web site says “OMB Final PL Guidance.” Not quite as clear as they would like. I guess it’s all a work in progress. When you live in a world of acronyms and proprietary language, clear communication takes planning.
I was speaking recently with a group of field representatives from a very large, international company that serves a diverse set of customers and markets. I asked how they navigate through all of the company-specific acronyms which they use in normal conversation. They admitted that in reality, their organization did put together an Acronym Dictionary for new hires to learn the language of their company.
It’s not uncommon for those with a common interest to speak in the language of that hobby. Speak to a wine connoisseur or a person who does a lot of sailing; or even look over the shoulder of a 13-year-old who is furiously texting to friends and you’ll see examples of specific terms and a series of acronyms which are a part of that standard communication.
Usually it is the technical team in an organization that has the reputation for speaking in sentences littered with technical jargon and acronyms which many business people don’t understand. Tech people live in a world of alphabet soup. But their acronyms tend to be industry standard terms and a language which crosses company and industry boundaries. I find very often that business teams, particularly those working in mature industries, have developed their own language which is very often company-specific.
Are you forcing your customers and your potential customers to learn your language in order to do business with you?
In the old world of face-to-face client interactions this proprietary language could be overlooked because the representative was sitting with the customer and could explain industry terms. As you prepare to provide real time mobile services, consider the impact to your customers and potential customers.
The implementation of your enterprise mobility strategy is key to how the outside world will view your organization. Consider not just the functions to be provided, but the form in which they’re provided.
There are plenty of blogs and opinions regarding the absolute requirement for simplicity in the design of the user interface on mobile applications. (I’ve even shared my own opinions on this blog.) The requirement for plain language is equally important.
I’ve seen apps and mobile Web sites from companies that look impressive – nice big buttons, appealing graphics, great navigation. But when I try to interpret exactly what a function is doing, I get lost in vague or proprietary language.
I’m not proposing that someone that has never had a bank account should be able to use a mobile banking app. A user always needs a certain amount of context regarding the intent of the application.
But your mobile offerings are also an opportunity to make a strong first impression with a new customer, or to show an existing customer that you are a service leader in your industry.
The first impression is the lasting impression. If your mobile offering is hard for customers to use, or hard to understand, chances are they won’t come back to figure it out. And in the mobile world, your competitors are just a click away.
Tags: Business Case, Business Mobility, Business Process, iPad, Matt Torgersen, Mobile Apps, Mobile Web, Pragmatic Mobility
