How would you explain a complex technical concept, like DNS or VPN, to a customer who has no technical background?

Situation

In my previous role supporting a cloud service, a customer asked why they needed to change their DNS settings to connect to their work email. They were confused because they thought DNS was only for websites.

Task

I needed to explain DNS in a simple, relatable way so the customer would feel confident making the change and understand its importance.

Action

I said: 'Think of DNS like the phonebook of the internet. When you type a website name, DNS translates that into an IP address, which is like a phone number. Just like you need the correct phone number to call someone, your computer needs the correct DNS to reach your email server. By changing to the recommended DNS, you're giving your computer the right directory.' I then stayed on the line while they made the change and verified it worked.

Result

The customer said 'That makes sense, thank you for explaining!' and successfully accessed their email. They didn't need to call back.