Spelling & Grammar

**dec** · 01-23-2005, 02:02 AM

Originally posted by NormChris

Do you want an uneducated person servicing your equipment?

If he is well educated At repairing and servicing my equipment I would have no problem with his spelling or grammer. If he had great grammer and spelling ability but didnt know a thing about what I hired him for I would be pissed. Im not sure why this is getting to be such a sticking point but I guess I had better think about picking up the technician certification exam guide and see how many chapters there are about grammer and spelling being thats seems to be a major thing.

**Collin** · 01-23-2005, 04:12 AM

Originally posted by NormChris

Spelling and grammar seem to have become a lost art. I have seen a growing number of spelling and grammar errors in several major news sites lately.

Although technically correct, I would prefer to see what you wrote as:
"a growing number of spelling and grammatical errors"

**ozone drone** · 01-23-2005, 07:27 AM

I no watcha meen norm.

**tinman** · 01-23-2005, 09:49 AM

Norm, I agree, short of going back to high school what would you suggest as training?

**simpleman** · 01-23-2005, 09:56 AM

Again the only people that have this problem or teachers.

I have yet,to lose a customer because of grammer or spelling.

If spelling and grammer was a issue,then explain why there are more mexican in the work force then ever before.

I bet some of you elites,still have your silver spoon as well.

**twosticks** · 01-23-2005, 10:05 AM

Saw an ad in a trade journal. Picture of two guys, one
was bent over a piece of equipment wearing jeans and a
tee shirt, kinda dirty, bubba type. The other was in a nice
uniform, creases, carrying an invoice book. Point of the
ad was which would you prefer working on your equipment.
I remember thinking I only saw one person working.
Appearances (vans, clothes, speech, grammar, spelling, etc.)
may make one "appear" professional or not. Appearances can
be deceiving.

**NormChris** · 01-23-2005, 10:06 AM

Originally posted by tinman
Norm, I agree, short of going back to high school what would you suggest as training?

Proper written communication, spelling and grammar do make a difference to customers reading service invoices!

When I was a service manager I reviewed every service ticket and made a list of the errors. I then held several service meetings and worked on the worst ones.

I also provided each technician with a spelling list of commonly misspelled and misused words to carry in their trucks. They could easily look up any word they were unsure of.

It looks pretty poor when a technician can't spell condenser or compressor correctly or uses "there" when he should have used "their" for example.

It is all about professionalism.

Norm

**tinman** · 01-23-2005, 10:08 AM

Simpleman, I agree however I want to improve my writing skills for my own satisfaction. If you have read any of my posts you would have to agree, I need it.

Other than penmanship our customers have not complained about grammar.

**NormChris** · 01-23-2005, 10:11 AM

Originally posted by simpleman
Again the only people that have this problem or teachers.

I have yet,to lose a customer because of grammer or spelling.

If spelling and grammer was a issue,then explain why there are more mexican in the work force then ever before.

I bet some of you elites,still have your silver spoon as well.

Grammar is spelled with an "ar" not "er". Many HVAC instructors can't write well either! I constantly correct the English of my own students. Good speaking and writing skills are an important part of being a professional. Customers do recognize the difference.

**simpleman** · 01-23-2005, 10:17 AM

Thanks Norm,but you overlooked the or when it should have been are.

**NormChris** · 01-23-2005, 10:19 AM

Originally posted by tinman
Simpleman, I agree however I want to improve my writing skills for my own satisfaction. If you have read any of my posts you would have to agree, I need it.

Other than penmanship our customers have not complained about grammar.

Most customers will not say anything, they will just call the company that they deem the most professional. You usually don't know why you lost the customer unless you ask them. As a service manager I always called them to find out why they switched service companies. I also asked new customers why they want to switch from their former service company to our company. You get some interesting insight in how customers think when you do this all the time.