While customer service reps may think of themselves as part of the service team, or part of the larger organizational team, recent research shows that customers respond more positively to representatives who refer to themselves in the singular such as “I”, “me”, and “my” instead of “we” or “our” This language suggests that the rep is taking a more personal interest in the customer and their needs. That level of connection is especially important in today’s more disconnected and impersonal world.
In the examples below, you can really hear the difference:
• We are (I am) always happy to help.
• Thanks for bringing this to our (my) attention.
• I will share this information with our (my) team.
More science-backed tips on choosing the best words appears is in the March issue of Customer Communicator, the newsletter for frontline reps.