Don’t ask what set me off, but there are some business phrases that I cannot wait to bury.
Core competencies. Just say your specialties, okay? Otherwise, you sound like you’re choking on consonants.
Value-added services. How about just telling people what you do. For instance, “We offer optional fries with every burger!” or “Every product comes with our money-back guarantee!” Those we get. When you say “value-added services” you make us feel too stupid to buy what you sell because we can’t figure it out.
Mission-critical. Just say we have what it is you need in order to get your job done right the first time. Very few of us work for NASA, so leave all that “mission” crap out of it.
200 Percent (or any amount over 100 percent). Even a math dolt like me knows 100 percent of your goal is the best you can do. Goofy percentages like 137 percent just confuses the hell out of everyone.
Wholistic. First, get a dictionary. Second, stop making up words. You sound ridiculous. It’s either “comprehensive” or “complete.”
Leverage key relationships. Please. It sounds like you’re hoisting up the back of a Dodge to change the tire. Yes, I know what you mean, but it sounds so cold and mechanical. How about “partner with companies” as a means to convince me that yes, you have some additional services to offer?
How about you? What phrases or words do you hope disappear from business usage?
Ha ha! Good ones. I recently ran across a website for another writer who feels the same way . . . a few from your list are on his list of words that cost extra.
High Visibility – I hate that one. Yes, I understand that the CEO can see this email about Profit Margins. Duh. I’ll give you high visibility…
I think I love Wayne, Amie! Thanks for the link and the laugh.
Sal, I’m with you on that one, too! It’s the redundancy that bugs me. “We need high visibility in order to get our message out.” Duh.
I don’t like “usage” when “use” is a perfectly good word. But the worst phrase has to be “exceeding expectations.” Possibly the most overused words in marketing, ever. Doesn’t it cause diminishing returns, anyway? If you promise to exceed my expectations, won’t my expectations keep rising? Very silly phrase.
Hate that one too, Gloria, and any phrase that implies exceeding the most one can achieve. It’s like Eddie Izzard says – words like “awesome” need to be reserved for things that are truly awesome – not for hot dogs.
All of those words are ridonkulous (how’s that for a made-up word?). Why use a 50 cent word when a nickel or dime one will do? It just makes the speaker/writer sound pompous, or worse yet, ignorant-but-trying-to-cover-it. 🙂