It’s how you say it
It’s how you say it
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It’s How You Say It – Exploring Customer Perception Through Tone
Category: Games & Activities Estimated Time: 15–20 minutes Group Size: Individual or team (any size) Best for: Tone of voice training, empathy, customer experience improvementObjective:
This powerful activity helps participants understand how tone, delivery, and vocal emotion impact how customers perceive even neutral words. The phrase “How can I help you?” can come across as kind, cold, rushed, or rude—depending entirely on how it’s delivered. This activity builds awareness, control, and empathy in customer communication.Setup Instructions:
- Ask each participant (or team) to say the phrase: “How can I help you?”
- Assign each person a tone or attitude to express when saying the phrase. Examples include:
- Sincere and helpful
- Irritated by being interrupted
- Disinterested or unengaged
- Wishing someone else was helping
- Feeling rushed or overworked
- Impatient or snobby
- Lacking confidence
- Having a bad day
- After each delivery, ask others how the tone made them feel as the “customer.”
Trainer Tips:
- Encourage full body language and facial expression to support tone.
- Capture participant feedback to reinforce how tone changes meaning.
- Let participants replay the same line with different tones to compare effects.
Debrief Questions:
- Which tone made you feel most respected or most dismissed?
- How often do we unintentionally send the wrong message with our tone?
- What happens when a customer misunderstands your tone?
- How can we train ourselves to remain professional—even when we’re frustrated?
Learning Outcomes:
- Increased awareness of tone and vocal delivery in service conversations
- Improved control of emotional signals in difficult situations
- Better alignment between message intent and customer perception
- Enhanced ability to show empathy through voice, not just words
Alternative Activity 1 – One Phrase, Five Feelings
Time: 15–20 minutes- Choose a common customer service phrase (e.g., “I’m happy to look into that.”).
- Ask each participant to deliver it five times, with different tones:
- Defensive
- Genuinely cheerful
- Overly formal
- Passive-aggressive
- Distracted
- Ask the group which version felt most trustworthy and why.
Alternative Activity 2 – Emotion Match Relay
Time: 20 minutes- Create 10 index cards, each listing an emotional tone (e.g., apologetic, cheerful, robotic, frustrated).
- One team member draws a card and says a phrase with that tone (e.g., “I’ll check on that for you.”).
- The other team must guess the emotion.
- Debrief how clearly tone is expressed and interpreted.
Build a Full Training Session on Tone and Clarity
This activity highlights how tone affects customer perception. For a full customer communication workshop, use our Communication Skills training package.
Add a self-reflection element: Are You a Good Listener?
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