How NOT To Phrase Error Messages

We learned a lesson this week. We have product that display's the following error message:

Cannot connect to service provider

90% of the time this is due to poor wireless coverage to the device. Occasionally, particularly when just getting started, a customer will get this message because they have not set up the customer's server link correctly. When we came up with this message wording, we congradulated ourselves on the technical precision in covering all the possibilities in just a few words.

We were taken to task by a customer this week because the staff in the field had no idea what this message meant or what to do. We'd heard this before, but this customer didn't want to hear our expanation, they wanted it changed so the user knew what to do. I patiently explained that this usually means the user is in an area of bad coverage, and they should try again later. The customer said, "Well if that's what it means, just say so -- tell the user whats wrong and what to do."

Great advice. Here is the new message:

Weak coverage, try again later