- Tone can be found in oral and written business communications. The tone of voice in oral communication can be helpful for understanding the meaning of a message, as well as for showing empathy to a customer's concerns. The tone of written communication can be more difficult to understand, but written communication does allow for greater information retention and increases the ability to mold a message to your liking.
- According to an article titled "The Critical Importance of Voice Tone," written by Phone Pro customer service trainer Desirae Haynes, having a pleasant tone of voice will make a customer feel more comfortable with approaching a customer service representative. Haynes also mentions that a neutral tone of voice, like boredom or indifference, can be negative, as the customer may take the tone to mean his business isn't valued.
- Tone in written business communication dictates the overall attitude of the message. Word choice proves to be an important aspect of this. For instance, an e-mail that reads "Please respond to this e-mail at your earliest convenience" comes across better than "Respond to this email immediately."
- The Customer Service Training Center, a resource of Baker Communications Inc, recommends keeping a pleasant tone and not taking complaints personally. It is suggested this be accomplished by remembering that complaints are about products and services, not you. Additionally, Georgia's Department of Juvenile Justice advises in its "Customer Service Communications Guide" to use "please" and "thank you" in written communications to help convey a positive tone.
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