IT and telecoms vendors have pulled off an impressive feat: beating lawyers and even PR operatives in the art of obfuscation.

According to a survey of 340 UK small and medium-sized businesses carried out by VIA NET.WORKS, 51 per cent of respondents thought that "IT and telecoms suppliers were the biggest culprits for using confusing jargon out of all the services suppliers they deal with".

Lawyers, in contrast, managed to confound a mere 28 per cent of their victims, with PR companies achieving a paltry 11 per cent success rate.

There is, however, a serious issue here: 26 per cent of those left scratching their heads when faced with gibbering salesmen went on to make "incorrect purchasing decisions" as a result.

The solution? Well, eight per cent of those polled called technical jargon a "total turnoff", and 21 per cent reckon tech vendors should cut the bull altogether and "stick to plain English". Simple as that. ®

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