The way we speak can influence how a message is received just as much as the words we use.
In customer interactions, tone of voice plays a key role in building trust, conveying empathy, and shaping the overall experience.
A warm, supportive tone can help reassure customers, while a sharper, more direct tone may come across as impersonal.
To find out more, we asked Clinton Jordan, The Motivational Vocal Coach, to explain how small adjustments in vocal tone can make a big difference in customer service.
Video: The ‘Language of Love’ Versus the ‘Nasal Tone’
Watch the video below to hear Clinton give an example of the contrast between the warmer ‘language of love’ and sharp ‘nasal tone’:
With thanks to Clinton Jordan, The Motivational Vocal Coach, for contributing to this video.
Using a Warm and Supportive Tone
A warm tone creates a sense of comfort and reassurance, helping customers feel listened to and valued.
This can be achieved by opening the pharyngeal cavity—the space at the back of the throat that expands when yawning, as Clinton explains:
“You could either use your cavities to express a soft, comforting place, maybe sounding more maternal or paternal.
By softening the sound when you approach that conversation, or responding, so someone has engaged, and they’ve given a bit of sensitive information.
Just by responding and receiving that information, and receiving in the tonality of – let’s call it love or sympathy and love.
By just opening up the pharyngeal cavity, that yawning space, and saying, “Okay. Thank you, Mr Jordan, for that. Thank you for that information.”
It softens the area. It softens the tone and it has denoted a place of receiving with thanks.”
By softening speech in this way, an agent can sound more understanding and welcoming, which is particularly effective when handling sensitive conversations.
This technique helps to signal to the customer that their concerns are being received with care and appreciation.
The Effect of a Sharper, Nasal Tone
In contrast, speaking through the nasal cavity produces a sharper and more penetrating tone.
This can make speech sound more direct and forceful, which might be useful in certain situations where clarity is needed.
However, in customer interactions, an overly nasal tone can come across as abrupt or impersonal, potentially making customers feel unheard or dismissed.
“As opposed to going to my nasal cavity. These are the places that you can find in a song and everyone on the planet can access those places.
So let’s change that instead of going “Thank you for that Mr Jordan. Thank you for the information”. Let’s take that to our nasal cavity.
“Okay. Thank you for that information Mr Jordan”. This is penetrative.”
Being overly sharp in tone can create an unintentional barrier between the agent and the customer, making interactions feel more transactional rather than engaging.
Choosing the Right Tone for Better Interactions
Both warm and sharp tones have their place in communication, but in customer service, a softer and more welcoming approach is often more effective.
By understanding how vocal cavities shape tone, agents can adjust their speech to better suit different interactions.
A warm tone encourages trust and engagement, while a sharper tone may be necessary for clear and direct communication.
The key is to be mindful of vocal delivery and to use tone strategically to enhance the customer experience.
If you are looking to find out more about tone of voice, read the article this video was taken from: How to Utilize Tone of Voice in the Contact Centre
Alternatively if you are looking for more great video insights from the experts, check out these videos next:
- What Is Call Centre Agent Burnout and What Are the Signs?
- What Is Conversation Analytics?
- How You Can Get the Best out of Your Outbound Dialler
Author: Clinton Jordan
Reviewed by: Robyn Coppell
Published On: 7th Feb 2023 - Last modified: 30th Apr 2025
Read more about - Video, Clinton Jordan, Soft Skills
