Dealing with any clients in services is an art. In the case of IT, we primarily deal with American clients.

It is useful to know how the English language works with them. Here are some interactions with American Clients a few !seful Tips" #. Do not write $the same$ in an email it makes little sense to them.

Example I will try to organi%e the pro&ect artifacts and inform you of the same when it is done. This is somewhat an Indian construct. It is 'etter written simply as" I will try to organi%e the pro&ect artifacts and inform you when that is done.

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Do not write or say, $I have some dou'ts on this issue$

The term $Dou't$ is used in the sense of dou'ting someone we use this term 'ecause in Indian languages, the word for a $dou't$ and a $)uestion$ is the same. The correct usage *for clients+ is" I have a few )uestions on this issue. ,. The term $regard$ is not used much in American English. They usually do not say $regarding this issue$ or $with regard to this$. -imply use" $a'out this issue$. ... Do not say $/ardon$ when you want someone to repeat what they said. The word $/ardon$ is unusual for them and is somewhat formal.

0. Americans do not understand most of the Indian accent immediately They only understand 75% of what we speak and then interpret the rest. Therefore try not to use shortcut terms such as $Can1t$ or $Don1t$. !se the e2panded $Cannot$ or $Do not$.

3. Do not use the term $screwed up$ li'erally. If a situation is not good, it is 'etter to say, $The situation is messed up$. Do not use words such as $shucks$, or $pissed off$. As a general matter of form, Indians interrupt each other constantly in meetings D4 54T interrupt a client when they are speaking. 4ver the phone, there could 'e delays 'ut wait for a short time 'efore responding. 6hen Americans interrupt, it is usually to disagree or to change the su'&ect. Interrupting to concur is less common. 7. 6hen e2plaining some comple2 issue, stop occasionally and ask $Does that make sense89 This is prefera'le than $Do you understand me8$

:. In email communications, use proper punctuation. To e2plain something, without 'reaking your flow, use semicolons, hyphens or parenthesis.

#;. As an e2ample" <ou have entered a new 'ug *the popup not showing up+ in the defect tracking system= we could not reproduce it although, a screenshot would help.

5otice that a reference to the actual 'ug is added in parenthesis so that the sentence flow is not 'roken. >reak a long sentence using such punctuation.

##. In American English, a mail is a posted letter. An email is electronic mail. 6hen you say $I mailed the information to you$, it means you sent an actual letter or package through the postal system. The correct usage is" $I emailed the information to you.$

To $prepone$ an appointment is an Indian usage. There is no actual word called prepone. <ou can $advance or reschedule$ an appointment.

#,. In the term $5 tier Architecture$ or $, tier Architecture$ , the word $tier$ is 54T pronounced as $Tire$. ?any people pronounce it this way. The correct pronunciation is $tea yar$. The $ti$ is pronounced as $tea$. Actually, Americans pronounce it as a single sylla'le, sounding &ust like a drop of fluid coming from your eye

#.. The usages $-eptem'er End$, $?onth End$, $Day End$ are not understood well 'y Americans. They use these as $End of -eptem'er$, $End of ?onth$ or $End of Day$.

#0. Americans have weird conventions for time when they say the time is $@uarter 4f 4ne$, they mean the time is #"#0. >etter to ask them the e2act time.

#3. Indians commonly use the terms $Today Evening$, $Today 5ight$. These are not correct= $Today$ means $This Day$ where the Day stands for Daytime. Therefore $Today 5ight$ is confusing. The correct usages are" $This Evening$, $Tonight$. That applies for $<esterday 5ight$ and $<esterday Evening$. The correct usages are" $Aast 5ight$ and $Aast Evening$.

#B. 6hen Americans want to know the time, it is usual for them to say, $Do you have the time8$ 6hich makes no sense to an IndianC

#7. There is no word called $!pdation$. <ou update some'ody. <ou wait for updates to happen to the data'ase. Avoid saying $!pdation$. The same applies for D!pgradation9.

#:. 6hen you talk with someone for the first time, refer to them as they refer to you in America, the first conversation usually starts 'y using the first name. Therefore you can use the first name of a client. Do not say $-ir$. Do not call women $?adam$.

(;. It is usual convention in initial emails *particularly technical+ to e2pand a''reviations, this way" 6e are planning to use the Eava A/I For Gegistry *EAHG+. After mentioning the e2panded form once, su'se)uently you can use the a''reviation.

(#. ?ake sure you always have a subject in your emails and that the subject is relevant. Do not use a su'&ect line such as $HI$.

((. Avoid using $>ack$ instead of $>ack$ !se $ago$. >ack is the worst word for American. *for Days use $Ago$, For hours use $'efore$.+

(,. Avoid using $'ut$ instead of $>ut$ !se $However$.

(.. Avoid using $<esterday$ hereafter use $Aast day$.

(0. Avoid using $Tomorrow$ hereafter use $5e2t day$.