How Should Companies Talk to Customers Online?

Brent McFerran, Sarah G. Moore, and Grant Packard wrote an article for MIT Sloan Management Review titled How Should Companies Talk to Customers Online? (October 26, 2018).

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

“Our research shows that simple shifts in employee language can enhance customer satisfaction and purchase behavior.”

“Telling a customer ‘I am working on that’ conveys a greater sense of ownership than ‘We are working on that,’ which can imply a diffusion of responsibility. Similarly, ‘I understand the issue’ shows more empathy than ‘We understand the issue.’”