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Research

The Psychology of Specificity in Marketing

Train your team to use specific, concrete language when interacting with customers: “Let me check how much it will cost to upgrade your subscription” not “Let me look into your query”. Or “I’ll look for that t-shirt in grey” not “I’ll look for that”.

min read

Dec 24, 2023

Summary

Academic Research

Why is Specific Communication Important?

In a business landscape that often seems dominated by buzzwords and vague corporate-speak, the value of direct, specific communication cannot be overstated. According to a study published by Packard and Berger in the Journal of Consumer Research, employing a strategy of specific and direct communication led to a 10% increase in customer satisfaction and a 15% rise in customer spending. Conducted across various settings in the United States and Canada, the research offers compelling evidence that something as simple as the way we communicate can have far-reaching consequences for customer relationships and bottom lines.

Universal Impact Across Digital Channels

One of the most striking aspects of the study was the consistent positive impact across various customer interaction scenarios. Whether it was through live chats on a website, face-to-face conversations in a brick-and-mortar store, written emails, or even support tickets, the effects were uniform. The findings are based on a combination of market studies and lab experiments conducted across different demographic segments in the U.S. and Canada. Multiple sectors, including retail, technology, and services, were analyzed to ensure the study's broad applicability.

Specific Details in Live Chat

In the digital age, live chats have become a staple for customer service. The instantaneity it offers can be both a boon and a challenge. According to the study, customers felt significantly more satisfied when the chat representatives used specific and direct language. Instead of saying, "We will try to resolve your issue," reps who said, "We will resolve your issue by 5 PM today" fared much better in customer ratings.

Face-to-Face Conversations

Even in the traditional retail setting, where face-to-face communication is the norm, specificity reigned supreme. Salespersons who said, "This laptop has a 12-hour battery life and a three-year warranty," as opposed to, "This is a good laptop," saw a remarkable improvement in customer satisfaction and consequently, in sales.

Rationale for Smarter Consumers

So, why does specific language work so effectively? According to the researchers, specific and direct language signals to the customer that the representative is attentive and values the customer's time and business. When a customer feels heard and valued, it triggers a positive emotional response. This is not just pleasurable for the customer but also beneficial for the business, as a satisfied customer is more likely to be a loyal customer—and loyalty often translates to increased spending.

Trust Through Transparency

Specific language also enhances transparency, which is key to building trust. If a customer knows exactly what to expect and when to expect it, their level of trust in the company increases, thereby solidifying the customer-company relationship. The study by Packard and Berger provides valuable insights that can be easily implemented yet have a profound impact. Specific and direct communication is not just a "nice-to-have" but a "must-have" in today's competitive business environment. Companies that integrate this simple yet effective strategy into their customer interaction models stand to gain both in customer satisfaction and in monetary terms. As the research unequivocally shows, sometimes it's the simplest changes that yield the most significant results.

Practical Application

What does this mean for businesses seeking to improve their customer relationships and profitability?

Training Programs: Consider incorporating sessions on specific and direct communication in employee training programs.
Quality Control: Implement language guidelines for customer interactions across various platforms—live chat, email, face-to-face, etc.
Feedback Mechanism: Regularly collect customer feedback to measure the effectiveness of these communication strategies over time.
Reward System: Introduce rewards or recognition for employees who excel in employing this strategy, further incentivizing its adoption.

What does this mean for businesses seeking to improve their customer relationships and profitability?

Training Programs: Consider incorporating sessions on specific and direct communication in employee training programs.
Quality Control: Implement language guidelines for customer interactions across various platforms—live chat, email, face-to-face, etc.
Feedback Mechanism: Regularly collect customer feedback to measure the effectiveness of these communication strategies over time.
Reward System: Introduce rewards or recognition for employees who excel in employing this strategy, further incentivizing its adoption.