Magazine Winter 2019 Issue Research Highlight

How Should Companies Talk to Customers Online?

The words service agents use to engage customers often end up backfiring.

Brent McFerran, Sarah G. Moore, and Grant Packard Reading Time: 7 min 

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Vector illustration of chat bubble enclosing smiling chat bot face with computer keyboard keys for teeth

Image courtesy of Carolyn Ann Geason

More and more consumers are engaging with customer service through digital channels, including websites, email, texts, live chat, and social media. In 2017, only half of customer experiences with companies involved face-to-face or voice-based interactions, and digital interactions are expected to represent two-thirds of customer experiences within the next few years.1 The vast majority of customer service interactions around the world begins in online channels.2

Despite the convenience and speed of such interactions, they lack some of the most important aspects of offline customer service. In-person interactions are rich in nonverbal expressions and gestures, which can signal deep engagement, and an agent’s tone of voice can convey empathy and focus in phone conversations. Over time, these interpersonal touches help companies build and sustain relationships with customers.

But can some of that benefit be captured in the world of digital customer service? We argue that it can — with the right words. Our focus on words is consistent with a growing recognition among businesses that language matters, digitally or otherwise. Apple, for example, has explicit policies detailing which words can and cannot be used, and how they should be used when interacting with customers.3 The use of customer service scripts is also commonplace in service contexts, where employees are encouraged to use specific words when interacting with customers.4

However, we find that most companies are taking a misguided approach in their emails, texts, and social media communications with customers. They’re using words that, while designed to engage customers, can sometimes alienate them.

Our research5 focuses on personal pronouns (I, we, you), which psychologists have linked to critical personal and social outcomes.6 Customer service agents use personal pronouns in nearly every sentence they utter, whether it’s “We’re happy to help you” or “I think we do have something in your size.” Our research shows that simple shifts in employee language can enhance customer satisfaction and purchase behavior.

The Power of Pronouns

Conventional wisdom says that being customer-oriented is critical to customer satisfaction. That’s why phrases like “We’re happy to help you” have become so popular in service settings.

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About the Authors

Brent McFerran is the W.J. VanDusen Associate Professor of Marketing at Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Sarah G. Moore is an associate professor of marketing at the University of Alberta’s School of Business in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Grant Packard (@grantpackard) is an associate professor of marketing at Lazaridis School of Business and Economics at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

References

1. S. Moore, “Gartner Says 25% of Customer Service Operations Will Use Virtual Customer Assistants by 2020,” Gartner press release, Feb. 19, 2018.

2. Microsoft, “2017 State of Global Customer Service Report,” accessed August 2018.

3. S. Biddle, “How to Be a Genius: This Is Apple’s Secret Employee Training Manual,” Gizmodo.com, Aug. 28, 2012.

4. C. Borowski, “What Customers Think About Call Center Scripts, 2014 Versus 2018,” Software Advice, accessed August 2018.

5. G. Packard, S.G. Moore, and B. McFerran, “(I’m) Happy to Help (You): The Impact of Personal Pronoun Use in Customer-Firm Interactions,” Journal of Marketing Research 55, no. 4 (August 2018): 541-555.

6. J. Pennebaker, “The Secret Life of Pronouns: What Our Words Say About Us” (New York: Bloomsbury Press, 2013).

7. W. Ickes, S. Reidhead, and M. Patterson, “Machiavellianism and Self-Monitoring: As Different as ‘Me’ and ‘You,’” Social Cognition 4, no. 1 (March 1986): 58-74.

8. J. Fahnestock, “Rhetorical Style: The Uses of Language in Persuasion,” (New York: Oxford University Press, 2011).

9. J. Singh and D. Sirdeshmukh, “Agency and Trust Mechanisms in Consumer Satisfaction and Loyalty Judgments,” Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science 28, no. 1 (2000): 150-167; A. Smith, R. Bolton, and J. Wagner, “A Model of Customer Satisfaction With Service Encounters Involving Failure and Recovery,” Journal of Marketing Research 36, no. 3 (1999): 356-372; and A. Parasuraman, “Understanding Customer Expectations of Service,” MIT Sloan Management Review 32, no. 3 (1991): 12-40.

10. Packard, Moore, and McFerran, “(I’m) Happy to Help (You): The Impact of Personal Pronoun Use in Customer-Firm Interactions.”

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Comments (3)
Henna Smith
most importantly thank the writers for this article. Truth be told, what we used to do practically speaking when we met our customers is being recreated through the computerized channel. Truth be told changes are occurring quick and I find many organization delegates have substantially more learning of the pronouns and their utilization and are more gracious and responsive than what they were five years back. Anyway regardless I feel they ought to be altogether prepared in the field before they are placed in the computerized channel to cooperate with the customers. It isn't so natural to build up the expertise and one slip of tongue may destroy the business once for all. Low paid specialists/representatives with lazy demeanor may not fill the need similar to the training at numerous spots and may eventually ruin the notoriety of the organization.
Dr Rabindranath Bhattacharya
Dr. Rabindranath Bhattacharya, Adjunct Professor, IIT Kharagpur, India.

I first of all thank the authors for this wonderful article. In fact, what we used to do in practice when we met our clients is being replicated through the digital channel. In fact changes are happening fast and I find  many company representatives have  much more knowledge of the pronouns and their use and are more courteous and responsive than what they were five years back. However I still feel they should be thoroughly trained in the field before they are put in the digital channel to interact with the clients. It is not so easy to develop the skill and one slip of tongue may ruin the business once for all. Low paid workers/employees with lackadaisical attitude may not serve the purpose as is the practice at many places and may ultimately spoil the reputation of the company.
Kannan Chakravarthy
Insightful article. The findings are true beyond customer service. This is applicable to our personal life also. Most of the arguments starts because the first person starts the discussions stating "your statement is wrong' instead it can be stated "statement can be wrong"