5 words that make you look weak in customer meetings

You're the expert. Do you sound like one?

You can configure TYPO3 in your sleep. You know how sitepackages are built, how deployments run smoothly, how to plan an upgrade. Technically, no one can fool you so quickly.

But then you're sitting in a customer meeting. And you say things like: "I'd be happy to take a look at it." Or: "The hourly rate is 120 euros, will that work for you?"

And right at that moment, something happens: your professional expertise loses weight. Not because you can do less. But because your language signals something other than what you actually are.

Five phrases crop up again and again in the everyday lives of freelancers and service providers, whether they are working alone or in an agency. They sound harmless, polite, even professional. But they undermine your status as an expert. Gradually, unconsciously, but noticeably.

1 "I like to look over it"

The word "like" is a social lubricant. In everyday life, among colleagues, in casual exchanges: perfectly fine. But the moment you offer the customer a solution, it takes the power out of your statement.

"I'd be happy to look into it" sounds like a favor you're doing. "I'll take a look at it" sounds like an expert doing their job.

The difference is subtle, but it changes the perception. Not with every sentence and not in every situation. The word hardly ever appears in offers and formal contexts. But in support, in Slack messages, in short polls, it slips in all the time. Out of pure politeness. That's exactly why it doesn't stand out.

Instead of: "I'd be happy to take a look at that."

Better: "I'll have a look and get back to you by tomorrow."

2. "Does that work for you?"

Reassurance questions are a classic in price negotiations. "My hourly rate is X euros, is that okay?" Or: "That brings us to a fixed price of X euros, is that okay?"

The moment you ask whether your price is "okay", you relinquish control. You are signaling: I'm not sure myself whether this is appropriate. And the customer will pick up on this uncertainty, consciously or unconsciously.

The initial situation is clear: the customer comes to you because they have a problem that they can't solve themselves. He trusts that you know what you are doing. They expect a confident assessment, not a proposal for discussion.

Interestingly, this happens much less often with technical recommendations. If you say "We need our own site package here", hardly any integrators ask afterwards "Is that okay?". The uncertainty is particularly evident when it comes to money.

Instead of: "The hourly rate is 120 euros, is that okay?"

Better: "My hourly rate is 120 euros."

Period. No question mark. No invitation to negotiate. The customer can still ask or negotiate, he is free to do so. But you don't open this round yourself.

3 "Sorry I have to ask again"

Gratuitous apologies are a pattern that creates an artificial hierarchy. Every "sorry" without a real reason says: I owe you something. I am interrupting. I'm less important.

In everyday TYPO3 service provider life, it looks like this: "Sorry, but I need the access data again." Or: "Sorry, the update took a little longer than planned."

There is almost always a good reason for queries. Perhaps information is missing that was lost in the meeting. Perhaps the customer has simply forgotten the access data. This is normal everyday project work, not an offence for which you have to apologize.

And whether something "took longer"? In most cases, the customer can't judge that at all. They know neither the technical effort nor the complexity. If you apologize before the customer even sees a problem, you create the problem in the first place.

An important point: this pattern is particularly evident in communication with colleagues. In the customer context, many make a conscious effort to avoid it. But internally, it slips through all the time. "Sorry to bother you again" is almost a standard phrase among developers.

Instead of: "Sorry, I need the access data to the staging server again."

Better: "I need the access data to the staging server for the next step. Can you send it to me?"

4 Too many questions, too little assessment

The question quotient describes the ratio of questions to statements in a conversation. If you only ask questions, you don't reveal anything about yourself and don't take the lead in the conversation.

However, a distinction must be made here: TYPO3 integrators are generally analytical, logical people. In the DISC model, they are often in the blue spectrum: thorough, fact-based, detail-oriented. They need information before they make an assessment. And that is a strength. Thoroughness protects against wrong decisions, and customers appreciate it when someone works carefully.

The problem only arises when you already have enough information, but you continue to ask questions instead of committing yourself. If the customer describes that their website is still displaying the old content after changes, and after the third sentence you actually already know what the problem is, but you ask five more questions instead of saying: "That's a typical caching problem, I see that regularly. I'll check it out."

The trick is not fewer questions, but more statements in between. Give a categorization before each additional question. This shows the customer: This is someone who thinks for themselves. Not someone who just works through checklists.

Instead of: "When does this occur? In which browser? Have you tried anything? Is it only in the frontend?"

Better: "That sounds like a caching problem, I regularly see that with similar setups. Two more questions, then I can give you an assessment."

5 Scan the response immediately after the price

Imagine the following scene. It's fictitious, but it could happen in any meeting room:

An integrator is sitting at the customer's site and presenting his offer for a TYPO3 relaunch. Everything is prepared: technical concept, schedule, cost estimate. The slides run through, the individual items are explained. Then comes the last slide with the total price. He quotes the figure. And then it happens: he looks up. Seeks eye contact. Waits for a nod, a sign that everything is okay. Three seconds of silence. They feel like thirty. Only when the customer nods briefly does he continue speaking.

This pattern is difficult to grasp because it is non-verbal. But the customer senses it. He notices that his counterpart is looking for approval instead of simply continuing. And that changes the dynamic: suddenly you're not the expert presenting your offer, but someone asking for permission.

Of course, you shouldn't race blindly through your presentation and ignore when the customer switches off. Paying attention to your counterpart is important. But there is a difference between attentive communication and the need for confirmation.

The better strategy: follow through with your presentation or offer. Anticipate possible objections and refute them directly. And give the customer room for questions at the end. Not after every sentence, but in a structured and confident manner.

Instead of: State the price, look up, wait for a reaction, endure silence, only continue after a signal.

Better: state the price, let it sink in briefly and then continue directly with the next steps: "We'll start the project with a kick-off meeting where we'll clarify the details."

It's not about words. It's about attitude.

All five points have a common core: they are symptoms, not the cause. Simply replacing the words with others won't solve the problem. If you're insecure inside, it will show through, no matter how perfectly you phrase it.

But: Most TYPO3 integrators, freelancers and agency owners have earned their expert status over the years. The knowledge is there. The experience is there. The expertise is there. The important thing is to communicate this to the outside world. Not arrogantly, not loudly, but clearly.

If you know what you can do, and if you know that your customer is coming to you because they need precisely this expertise, then most of the softeners will disappear by themselves. Not because you avoid them, but because you no longer need them.

Don't start with the words. Start with the question: Am I aware of my value? If the answer is yes, your language will follow.

Would you like to discuss topics such as positioning, customer communication and pricing with other TYPO3 freelancers? That's exactly what we do in the Business Roundtable: an honest exchange of experiences at eye level, without empty phrases.