Keep line lengths at
around 65 to 70 characters.

Long lines of text are difficult to read. Keep lengths of text at around 65 to 70 characters when possible.

 

Use short, simple sentences
to convey your meaning.

Always use simple, straightforward sentences. Avoid complex sentences. Some people think that is "dumbing down" the text to the lowest level and that the explanations lose something. Nothing could be further from the truth. Content could be "dumbed down," but not sentences. Simple sentences make even the most complex information easy to follow. Include all the information the customer needs, even the most complex, but explain it clearly and simply.

Keep the level of vocabulary and sentence structure at a simple 8th to 10th grade writing level. It requires much greater intelligence and thought on your part to make explanations of complex subjects clear to the reader than it does to sling around the jargon you use with others who know the technology. The challenge is to make complex information understandable to people who may read at the 8th or 10th grade level and don't know as much as you do about the subject. After all, that's why they're contacting you in many cases.

 

Don't write in shorthand.

Don't drop articles and the other glue words that hold sentences together. Some technical support representatives like to write e-mails that clip sentences and drop words, thinking that it will be quicker to write and the reader will pick up on the missing words. However, dropping words makes the writing more difficult to read. Economy is important, but not if it infringes on clarity.

Write in complete sentences and include all of the smaller, glue words, especially articles (a, an, and the).

DROPPED WORDS: Request you locate manual and identify model number for printer.

FULL SENTENCE: Please locate your printer manual and find the model number for your printer.

Put only one or two
ideas in most sentences.

As a general rule, limit your sentences to one or two ideas. Sentences can be very useful to show the relationships among ideas. When you put two ideas in a sentence, you can show that one is more important than the other, or that one follows from the other. However, putting three or more ideas in a sentence may make it difficult for the reader to follow all of the ideas. Try to limit your sentences to one or two ideas, with an occasional sentence containing three and even four ideas.

When writers combine many ideas in a sentence, they tend to make run-on sentences. Break up longer sentences into smaller thoughts:

TOO LONG: The best thing to do in this situation is to remember not to input more data, which can cause the data already entered to be lost and can result in your having to re-enter the data, and possibly you may need to re-enter the data from the previous entries that could have been corrupted.

BETTER: The best thing to do in this situation is to stop inputting data. If you don't, you may lose the data you have already entered. That may result in having to re-enter the data you just entered and, possibly, the data from previous entries that may have been corrupted.

 

Avoid complicated punctuation.

Don't use dashes, semicolons, ellipses (dots), and other punctuation that extends sentences and makes the relationships among words unclear. Use parentheses sparingly. When in doubt, don't use them. Instead, create a new sentence.

COMPLICATED PUNCTATION: Place the order number in the top blank-making sure to include the ED at the beginning; including date ordered and method of payment-check or credit card-unless payment will be made at time of delivery.

SIMPLIFIED PUNCTUATION: Place the order number in the top blank. Make sure to include the ED at the beginning. Include the date ordered and method of payment (check or credit card). Do not put anything for the method of payment if you will pay at the time of delivery.

As always, you should put lists or procedures into a separate list and bullet or number the list. That eliminates long, complex sentences. Here is the list from above broken out with numbers:

Use short, simple sentence constructions.

Use the active voice.

Active verbs show the subject doing something rather than being the object of an action. Using the passive voice slows down your writing and makes it less forceful.

Example:

PASSIVE VOICE: New regulations have been proposed by committee members.

ACTIVE VOICE: Committee members proposed new regulations.

Exercise:

Change this sentence to the active voice. A customer service representative working with the customer's account changed the account number.

The account number was changed during conversion.

Exercise:

Put this sentence into the active voice. Another customer service representative apparently already logged this customer's problem.

Your problem was already logged.

 

Use the simplest tense.

Tense refers to the time of an action. Unless you have a really good reason to use another tense, always write in the present, future, and past tenses. Avoid conditional, perfect, or future tenses.

AVOID: We had been aware that the argument could have been less confusing.

SIMPLER: We knew the argument was complicated.

 

Write directly to your reader
using personal pronouns.

A conversational style helps the reader understand the concept. For example, use the familiar pronoun "we" instead of the more formal "subscribers," or "you" instead of "all participants." Don't use "one," as in "One should always close the case."

Compare the two excerpts that follow. Which one would you rather read?

Version 1: If members take less than their entitled share of production for any month, but pay royalties over the full volume of their entitled share in accordance with the provisions of this section, they will owe no additional royalty for that lease for prior periods when they later take more than their entitled share to balance their account. This also applies when the other participants pay their money to balance another member's account.

Version 2: Suppose that one month you pay royalties on your full share of production but take less than your entitled share. In this case, you may balance your account in one of the following ways without having to pay more royalties. You may either:

1. take more than your entitled share in the future, or
2. accept money from other participants.

Exercise:

Using personal pronouns, put the following paragraph into conversational language. Pretend you represent the firm of Harrison and Company and are speaking directly to your client:

The customer service representatives here have been looking into the problem experienced with the data entry screen. It has been found that not filling in all the fields may result in some data loss by the customer. The company will continue to research it and will let those interested know about the findings.

 

Lesson test: Using clear sentences

Use clear sentences, simple vocabulary, and a clear, personal style to rewrite this paragraph. Include all the pertinent information.

Dear Martin, Re the July 10 email from your company, it has come to the attention of the relevant support staff that a problem is apparent relating to the workings of the server with which some firms have been equipped. Rest assured that Intermasters has the customer's welfare at heart and will not leave any stone unturned to determine in the most judicious manner how to overcome the difficulties in order to minimize any inconveniences on our customers' parts—the company's primary concern is giving consideration to the customer's business needs and success. To that end announcements will be forthcoming for the purpose of letting all know that status of the situation. Thanking in advance for cooperation in this matter. Fran Loft Customer Service Representative

 

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