“The pen is mightier than the sword.” Now there’s an aphorism that shows its age, at least in my experience. Search as I may, I can never get my hands on either implement in times of crisis.
But in its less literal sense, the wisdom of the phrase is still relevant: words can be a powerful weapon, especially in the battle of the budget. Consider for example the word “No!” Uttered in a stern voice, to one’s children or oneself, in the grocery store or in the mall, this one little word can save you bundles.
At times, however, we need to string a few more words together, and put them in writing, to accomplish the same worthy goal.
Very recently, I was reviewing my AMEX business account and noticed a charge for renewing an internet service that I had not, to my recollection, authorized. I asked Candice, my indispensable IT and everything-else person, to look into this and to cancel the renewal, as it was no longer needed. The next thing I know a very curt email lands in my box, saying that no refund can be issued, and reminding me that when I signed up for the service online a year ago, I had authorized an automatic annual renewal. After all, this was “clearly stated” (as in “buried in the fine print”) as the fifth condition of the online contract. Anyone else like me who just checks the “Accept” box without reading all that legal stuff?
An automatic and very loud “NO!” from me sent my bewildered golden retriever scurrying away with her tail between her legs. I was not going to let them get away with this. Absent my sword — which I still could not find — I fired up my keyboard and took aim with a strongly worded email to “Customer Support.”
I will spare you my powerful rhetoric only to say that a BA in English can be handier than an MBA when it comes to scoring a money win. Within the hour, Customer Support capitulated, brandishing a white flag. My money would be refunded.
These “stealth fees” have become epidemic in our recent economy, as everyone is searching for ways to increase revenue. I’ve lost count of the number of times extra cable channels have snuck onto my Verizon bill, only to be unceremoniously expelled in my now monthly phone call to the phone company. The speed with which these fees are eliminated as “errors” upon a word or two from me makes me suspect that they are mistakes only in cases where they are detected. For the untold numbers of subscribers who do not read their phone bills, those fees are probably paying the bonus of some smart management trainee.
In short, words can make a difference to your financial management. Failure to pay attention to the words buried in your bills or the fine print of contracts can cost. On the other hand, the words you use with vendors or service providers can pay. A well-written email, or a carefully prepared phone request, asking them to reconsider the terms of their agreements or refund policies, brings results more often than you might think. I have found the phrase “It may be your policy, but it is not good business,” to be very effective, particularly when delivered to someone at the policy-making level.
Which brings me to my last point about the power of language as a financial management tool: namely, it pays to negotiate the price and terms of just about every service or product that is not a commodity. Negotiation, in turn, takes careful attention to language: to word choice, syntax, timing, and emphasis. It takes thinking through your position, anticipating the response, and creating a compelling counter-offer. It requires, in another words, conviction and skillful communication.
Women are notoriously inept negotiators, not because they are poor communicators, but because they are afraid to ask –- afraid to ask for more pay, for a better deal, for reconsideration of terms. Their eagerness to please can cost them real money. You’ve no doubt heard the saying, “Nice girls finish last”? We should toss than one out, along with our swords, and give currency to another expression:
Articulate women finish first.
