Picture trying to learn the rules of chess in a language you don’t know while playing. That’s quite close to how people talk to one other in business these days. Every email, call, and fast Slack message has the ability to lead to a collaboration, clinch a sale, or cause so much uncertainty that everyone runs for cover. People from different backgrounds, time zones, and even galaxies (it feels that way) are thrown together in today’s corporate world. To work, communication can’t merely be clear; it has to be an art form. Sometimes it even means figuring out what emojis mean, which is a whole new type of business ethnography. Visit more on Serge Robichaud

Here’s the truth: a lot of people talk about being open, but not many do it on purpose. Being honest and short are both important parts of good communication. When you meet, don’t use a lot of jargon. Get to the point. Don’t say “synergize operational paradigms.” Just say, “Let’s work together to solve the problem.” Things happen quickly in business. If your words go off on tangents, your listeners will too. Adding an intriguing anecdote or joke can sometimes lessen defenses and help people pay more attention. Humor makes things less serious, which lets ideas really stick.

Then comes listening, the quiet hero of the conversation. Imagine a client who gives you a wish list that seems more like War and Peace than a project brief. The first thing that comes to mind is to “fix” everything right away. But real customer service means listening carefully. Let them finish. Talk to people. Ask questions to find out what is most important to them. What matters is often concealed between requests. If you do that, people will remember you for a long time.

Now let’s speak about being quick. Change hits businesses like a roller coaster that doesn’t stop. A project can alter course overnight. The deadlines might get shorter to a week, or the specs might do flips. No one can know everything, yet being flexible is expected. When things change, good communicators let others know. They send quick updates. No one likes surprises, except when it’s their birthday.

More than just checking boxes on a contract, committed client service means more. It’s all about gaining trust. Problems get worse when a client feels like just another number. So add some details to your answers: “Our team will share a draft by Thursday” seems a lot more intimate than “We will keep you posted.” In a sea of cold, automated replies, small, personal gestures like remembering anything about their business or applauding their company’s success stand out.

You might not always hit the mark. A proposal could not be perfect, or the criticism can be so ambiguous that you can’t see what it means. Don’t freak out. Go back and talk to each other. Go back. If you need additional information, say something like, “Can you explain what matters most right now?” People like the work you put in. It’s a relationship, not an interview.

In the end, there is no secret phrase or approach. Empathy, flexibility, and a little bit of daring are the building blocks of both business communication and great customer service. You tell it like it is sometimes. You listen as if that long answer holds the key to the next million-dollar invention. No matter what, be there, be yourself, and remember that the best business deals usually start with a simple, honest talk.