A CEO’s Perspective: Why Clear Communication Is the Best IT Strategy

Technology often gets treated like plumbing: invisible until something breaks. A technician shows up, offers a quick explanation you might not understand, and leaves you hoping it won’t happen again. But IT problems aren’t just technical, they’re often communication problems, too.

That’s a perspective shared by Bente Roycroft, CEO of Accurate Network Services. With experience on both the client side and the IT leadership side, she’s seen how easily communication gaps can lead to confusion, stalled decisions, and missed opportunities. In a field as complex as IT and cybersecurity, a little clarity—and a human-first approach—can go a long way.

That’s why more teams are treating plain language in IT as a core skill. At Accurate Network Services, we’ve seen how simple language and collaborative decision-making help build trust and make the work itself more effective.

When IT communication breaks down

In many relationships with managed service providers (MSPs), gaps in communication show up early: acronyms that go unexplained, vague recommendations, or quick solutions that leave you unsure what you’re agreeing to—or what your options are.

Most of our customers don’t expect to follow every technical detail. But they do expect to understand the big picture: What are we doing, why does it matter, and what will it change?

“You put your trust in someone to give you the right solution,” Roycroft said. She knows her customer’s perspective: in previous positions, she was often the one working with managed service providers. “So many times IT professionals would come in and use all these acronyms,” she explained. “It would sound like a product was vital and we would buy it—but I wasn’t always clear why I was buying it or what exactly it was supposed to do.”

The result of poor IT communication skills often isn’t dramatic, but it adds up. Unclear advice can lead to stalled projects, mismatched expectations, or tools that don’t get used the way they should. And, maybe more importantly, it can leave you feeling left out of decisions that affect your business.

How to go from confusion to collaboration

Fortunately, this isn’t a hard problem to solve—it just takes intention. 

When IT conversations start with clarity and curiosity, the dynamic shifts. People feel more comfortable asking questions. Decisions are made with shared context. And the technical recommendations start to feel relevant and connected.

That’s the kind of interaction many teams are aiming for: finding a partner who will figure things out with them.

At Accurate, we’ve learned that even a small shift in language can make a big difference. We deliver jargon-free IT support when we can, explain when we can’t, and focus on real-world impact rather than technical specs. 

Our goal isn’t to oversimplify, it’s to make sure you feel heard and equipped to make informed decisions. Because when you understand what’s happening, you’re more likely to be excited about new technology, use it, and build on it.

The cost of being too technical

Miscommunication in IT doesn’t always look like a big failure. More often, it shows up quietly:

• Software that never gets adopted.
• Budget spent on tools that overlap or go underused.
• Projects that stall because no one’s quite sure what’s supposed to happen next.

It can also erode internal trust. Teams may hesitate to ask for help or loop IT in later than they should, simply because past experiences left them confused or disconnected.

Over time, these small moments shape how an organization functions.

That’s why communication isn’t a soft skill, it’s a structural one. It’s not just about speaking plainly—it’s about building systems, habits and expectations that make clarity part of the process.

Simple ways to make IT conversations work better

Clearer communication doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are a few practical things you can do—before, during and after a conversation—to keep things on track:

• Ask for plain-language explanations early and often. If something doesn’t make sense, speak up. A good IT partner will respect your questions and take the time to explain.

• Clarify your priorities before the conversation starts. Whether you're focused on speed, cost or minimizing disruption, being clear about what matters most can help guide the solution.

• Summarize decisions in your own words. After meetings, jot down what was agreed on and what will happen next. It’s a simple way to prevent crossed wires later.

• Give feedback when something isn’t clear. If advice feels unclear or disconnected from your needs, say so. Being honest about what you need helps everyone stay on the same page.

How we make IT communication clearer

Clear communication in tech helps elevate business performance. We train our team to listen first, explain without assumptions, and double-check that decisions make sense to the people they affect. Not because we’re trying to be different—but because over time, it’s proven to be the best approach for our clients.

In a fast-changing field, clarity isn’t just helpful. It’s what keeps things running.

Leadership Insight Behind This Piece

This article was inspired by a recent conversation with Bente Roycroft, CEO of Accurate Network Services. Drawing on her experience as both an IT client and a leader, Bente’s perspective continues to shape how we think about communication, trust, and the value of plain language in IT support.

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