Most of us probably don’t think about this nuance when talking to customers.
Do you say “We” when referring to your business? Probably.
That’s because it’s been engrained in business conversation. You are representing a company, or a service or a brand. Not yourself.
I ran across this research recently that suggests that using the pronoun “I” instead personalizes the interaction.
The article gives these reasons for making the switch:
- “I” increases our perception that the agent is emotionally involved in the interaction and empathizes with us. This positive feeling spills over to the firm.
- Using “We” makes the speaker seem distant. They feel more part of the firm than involved in our situation.
- Using “You” during an interaction doesn’t add any benefit because it’s already clear that the agent is referring to us if they’re speaking to us.
That fits with what we believe at FiveFour, and what we teach as part of our OnStage Customer Experience Training. Specifically, that during our interactions we need to connect with customers to deliver “Only & Exactly” what they want.
That means observing and learning what their preferences are, how they communicate and what they’re hoping to achieve. That’s why making that connection is so important. People are much more likely to express their preferences if they feel like you actually care about them.
It’s not just the pronoun you use, it’s smiling, making eye contact and using their name when you know it. That relates to another element of OnStage, which is “How You Do What You Do.”
And it’s key to implementing one of the most powerful tools in the customer experience philosophy: “Surprise!”
It’s all tied together.
I would love to talk more about this.
Give me a call, drop an email or book a time for a longer chat.
Talk soon.