It sounds like a simple request – please charge the batteries. How could someone possibly get that wrong. Or so I thought. How could there be miscommunication over something this obvious? The other day we were at an all day sporting event and video taping some of my daughter’s team. The batteries didn’t last quite as long as planned and so my wife called around to find some new ones. Three calls and then success. She told the sales person I would be over to pick them up and asked – can you please charge the batteries. “No problem – they will be ready at customer service when you get here”. What could possible go wrong?
Fast forward about an hour and I show up. I tell them my name and they bring out the batteries and chargers – still in the packages. I ask the woman why the batteries weren’t charged. She said they were. I asked how they did that with them still in the package? She said they charged my wife’s credit card just like she asked. What happened next was a short round of – “she asked you to charge the batteries” – “We did charge the batteries”. This was followed by a few blank stares and I left shaking my head. It seemed so obvious what our request was, but someone found a way to interpret it differently.
A Comedy of Miscommunication Errors
Sometimes this can be funny. One of my favorite examples is from a Tee-shirt. Lets eat Grandma. Lets eat, Grandma. Punctuation saves lives. But I digress.
While you can’t anticipate all possible miscommunication, it always helps to have a clear message. It’s also important to understand the context of your audience. The cashier I was dealing with wasn’t thinking batteries, she was thinking transaction. I just happen to hit on a phrase that could mean something different depending on your perception.
Translations have their own set of challenges – even for the largest corporations. Most of us remember the Chevy Nova which didn’t do well in Latin American countries. No one wants a car that “No Va” – doesn’t go. The phrase “Coke Adds Life” was a popular ad campaign in the U.S. Unfortunately the literal translation in Japanese was that Coke brings your ancestors back from the dead. No one is immune.
Communications Testing 1,2
Where-ever possible, test market your message. A simple misinterpretation about charging batteries can happen to anyone. It was a dialogue between two people. If you are crafting a marketing message, it is going to be heard and responded to by hundreds or even thousands of people. The bigger your audience, the greater the chance for miscommunication. While you generally want to avoid this, miscommunication can also help narrow your audience. What you have to say will not resonate with every one, even if they do understand your message. If I dealt with that cashier on a regular basis, I’m pretty sure the battery story would be one of many. Sharing your message in advance will help you target your message and work out any kinks. It may also ensure your batteries are charged if you need spares on short notice.
