language tips

Language Tips For Communicating With U.S and U.K Clients

Worried About the client Call Well dont be, I am here to help you and take you through some tips that will make it easier for you to communite with international clients

Hello! I am Abhinav Sabharwal I am here because I love to give presentations. You can find me at: [email protected]

Dealing With Clients

Dealing with any clients in services is an art. In the case of IT, we primarily deal with American and UK clients. It is useful to know how English language works with them. Some of us may hesitate to speak to the client, because we are not confident. ‘Practice makes you confident’ Practice these tips

Indian Context Do not write "the same" in an email - it makes little sense to them. Example - I will try to organize the project artifacts and inform you of the same when it is done

Language Tips For Communicating With International Clients

International Clients Context It is better written simply as:

Example: I will try to organize the project artifacts and inform you when that is done.

Indian Context Do not write or say, "I have some doubts on this issue" We use this term ‘coz in Indian context the word for "doubt“ and a "question" is the same

International Clients Context The term "Doubt" is used in the sense of doubting someone The correct usage (for clients) is:

I have few questions on this issue.


Indian Context The term "regard" is not used much in American English

International Clients Context They usually do not say "regarding this issue" or "with regard to this". Simply use, "about this issue".


Indian Context Do not say "Pardon" when you want someone to repeat what they said.

International Clients Context The word "Pardon" is unusual for them and is somewhat formal. Therefore you can use “kindly repeat”


Indian Context Americans do not understand most of the Indian accent immediately Therefore try not to use shortcut terms such as "Can't" or "Don't".

International Clients Context They only understand 75% of what we speak and then interpret the rest. Use the expanded "Cannot" or "Do not".


Indian Context Do not use the term "screwed up“ Liberally. If a situation is not good, Do not use words such as "shucks“ or "pissed off".

International Clients Context It is better to say "The situation is messed up".


Indian Context In email Communications, use proper punctuation. To explain something, without breaking your flow use semicolons, hyphens or parentheses

International Clients Context E.g.:-You have entered a new bug (the popup not showing up) in the defect tracking system; we could not reproduce it - although, a screenshot would help.


Indian Context When you say, "I have mailed the information to you", it means you’ve sent an actual letter or package through the postal

system.

International Clients Context In American English, a mail is a posted letter. An email is electronic mail. The correct usage is: "I have emailed the information to you".


Indian Context To "prepone" an appointment is an Indian usage.

International Clients Context There is no actual word called prepone. You can “Reschedule" an appointment


Indian Context In the term "N-tier Architecture" or "3-tier Architecture", the word "tier" is NOT pronounced as "Tyre".

International Clients Context The correct pronunciation is "tea-yar". The "ti" is pronounced as "tea".


Indian Context The usages "September End", "Month End", "Day End" are not understood well by Americans.

International Clients Context They use these as "End of September", "End of Month“ or "End of Day".


Indian Context For time - when they say the time is….

International Clients Context "Quarter Of One”…. …. they mean the time is 1:15. Better to ask them the exact time and time zone.


Indian Context We commonly use the terms "Today Evening" "Today Night" "Yesterday Night" and "Yesterday Evening".

International Clients Context These are not correct; "Today" means "This Day" where the Day stands for Daytime. Therefore "Today Night" is confusing. The correct usages are: "This Evening", "Tonight” "Last Night" and "Last Evening".


Indian Context There is no word called "Updation". Avoid saying "Updation".

International Clients Context You “update” somebody. E.g.:-You wait for updates to happen to the database.


Indian Context Do not say "Sir". Do not call women "Madam".

International Clients Context When you talk to someone for the first time, refer to them as they refer to you. In America, the first conversation usually starts by using the first name. Therefore you can use the “first name” of a client.


Indian Context There is no word called "Updation". Avoid saying "Updation".

International Clients Context You “update” somebody. E.g.:-You wait for updates to happen to the database.


Indian Context Avoid using back, instead of "Back“

International Clients Context Use "ago". Back is the worst word for American. (For Days use "Ago", For hours use "before")


Indian Context Avoid using…. “BUT" "YESTERDAY" "TOMORROW"

International Clients Context Use… "However". "Last day".

"Next day"



As a general matter of form, Indians interrupt each other constantly

in meetings - DO NOT INTERRUPT a client when they are speaking over the phone, there could be delays but wait for a short time before responding.


When explaining some complex issue, stop occasionally and ask "Does that make sense?". This is preferable than "Did you understand me?"


It is usual convention in initial emails (particularly technical) to expand abbreviations, Eg: We are planning to use the Java API For Registry (JAXR).

After mentioning the expanded form once, subsequently you can use the abbreviation.


Make sure you always have a subject in your emails and that the “subject is relevant”. Do not use a subject line such as HI


Read English news papers Watch English Movies Watch International English News Channels Communicate in English to your colleagues ….These medium helps you to improve your diction as well as confidence

Thanks! Any questions? You can find me at [email protected]

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