PRACTICE

- For all customer service representatives, the tone of voice is so important when it
comes to making customers feel at ease, assured and happy. This is particularly important
for call centre agents, who cannot use facial expressions or body language to express
themselves to the customer.

ENRICHMENT

- When speaking with others, your tone clarifies and conveys meaning. A phrase as simple
as “I don't know” can be taken in a number of different ways depending on how you
decide to express it. Your tone can not only affect how people perceive you but also their
willingness to listen to you – especially in the workplace. First, use positive language.
That means eliminating words and phrases like ''We can't,'' and ''You need to'' from your
vocabulary and focusing on phrases like ''I can'' and ''We will.'' Second, remember you
are talking to another human being. You are not a robot and shouldn't sound like one,
even if you have a script to follow. Sincerity and empathy sound like, ''Let me see what I
can do to fix your problem, Mr. Jones.'' Think about how you would want to be spoken to
in the same situation. Third, keep it casual and friendly, but assess each situation
separately. An irate customer might view your casual nature as an insult to their
problems. Friendliness, however, never goes out of style.