By Kristin Marsden, Director of Communications

Have you ever been having a lovely conversation with someone and suddenly they say “irregardless” ?   Or say “pichur” instead of “picture”.  What’s your reaction?

Full disclosure: my mother was an English teacher.  From a very young age, proper grammar was drilled into me.  It makes sense that I have a BA in Communications and work as a Director of Communications, doesn’t it?

I could share my reaction, but let’s face it, my thoughts at that moment are less than positive and therefore should not be spoken.  It’s wrong for me to make judgements based on someone’s use of a word, and yet, I do it.  But always only in that negative, unkind part of my brain that I try to keep hidden.

A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words, but Good Grammar is Priceless

As professional inspectors, our team is judged continuously by the quality of our communication.  Real estate transactions are emotional and there is a lot of money changing hands! Our clients & agent partners want the assurance that the person assessing their potential property knows their stuff! 

Right or wrong, buyers, sellers, agents & attorneys all make a judgement about the quality of the inspection based on the quality of the written report.

When we seek inspectors to join our team, clearly technical skills are a given.  They must have knowledge of the systems of a building & construction, and they must be mechanically competent.

But to be a member of the Dunsing team, they must also possess excellent communication skills, both oral and written.

Jamie Dunsing recently shared a story with me about a former co-worker….

This highly qualified inspector mistakenly used the term “furnace” instead of “boiler” when discussing a problem in the home.  The entire report was called into question as a result. 

Ironically, this inspector was a certified HVAC technician, so he certainly knew the difference between a furnace and a boiler.  His was merely a slip of the pen.  This mistake resulted in a unnecessarily contentious pre-close conversation. 

Communication Matters!

Have you ever questioned the quality of a service based on how it was communicated to you?