Words matter, don’t they?
…And they matter especially to your customers and clients. This seems obvious – yet many people are not conscious enough of the words they choose, especially in potentially emotional or volatile communications.
I was reminding my audience of this recently while conducting a corporate training on Professional Communication.
I recounted to the group a past travel experience in which I checked in late for my reserved room at a globally branded hotel:
Upon arriving at the desk and informing the clerk of my reservation, I was first met with a warm welcome which suddenly reverted to a furrowed brow and look of concern as he looked down at his reservation portal.
And there it was: In the midst of my “my plane landed late–I’m exhausted–I need to get up early tomorrow” mode, out of his mouth came “Unfortunately.” That trigger word put me into an even deeper emotional distress.
He said, “Unfortunately, Ms. Ortman, we have only one room left” and proceeded to attempt to accommodate a problem that didn’t exist. You see, the room was an “accessible” room, and I saw no issues with that. Yet he immediately apologized while suggesting I could stay in this room for one night and could be moved to another room for my second night stay – which was a hassle for me.
He didn’t listen to the customer, but instead reverted too soon to problem-solving mode.
After several unnecessary minutes and through a series of miscommunications and suggestions, I finally received my room key. For me, the room was a bonus because the bathroom was larger, the closet rail was lower and overall, the room was roomier! Yay!
Two morals here:
#1 — Don’t try to solve a problem before it exists. Instead, LISTEN to the customer, client, or team member. In my example above, the desk clerk’s “unfortunately” was not MY “unfortunately.” He set me up for a disappointing expectation. Instead, he could have paused to ask me some questions with empathy, acknowledging my weary state.
#2 — Avoid pre-cursor words, such as Unfortunately or Well, or generalized words such as Always and Never. Choose words carefully that match the setting and tone of the situation. Speak specifically and concisely. And, please, stay away from my all-time personal favorite: “Can I be honest with you?”
Instead, use positive words and phrases such as:
>> Let’s find a solution.
>> I’m glad you like it.
>> I’ll find out. (Instead of “I don’t know.”)
>> What questions do you have?
>> I want to help.
What are your thoughts about choosing words and phrases? Are you as intentional with your communication as you’d like to be? I’m interested in your thoughts: Leave a comment below. 👇🏽👇🏾👇🏼
Recent Comments