When to pick up the phone, and keeping one record

For anything emotional, complicated or high-stakes, a call works better than people expect; one record of the customer saves them repeating themselves.

Calls are less awkward than we predict

In experiments, people expected a phone call to an old friend to be much more awkward than an email, so they chose email. The people asked to call instead felt more connected, and the call was no more awkward than the email. We underrate voice.

When to offer a call

Tone matters: a complaint, a disappointment, a negotiation.The thread is going in circles: the third clarifying question is the sign.The stakes are high: a big order, a contract, a cancellation.

One record of the customer

The other half of customer effort is repetition. A customer who wrote on Instagram, then WhatsApp, then emailed shouldn't have to explain the problem three times. Research on customer service argues that reducing the effort a customer has to make builds loyalty more reliably than trying to "delight" them.

The short version

Calls feel more connecting and are less awkward than people expect.Offer a call when tone matters, the thread circles, or the stakes are high.Ask before calling, and summarise in writing afterwards.Keep one record per customer across every app.Make it easy for the customer, rather than trying to dazzle them.

Try it in Kanvo

Save a customer who writes on two apps as one contact, so their WhatsApp and Instagram threads sit together. Call from the conversation header, and ask the agent to summarise the call afterwards.

Sources

People expected calls to be more awkward than email and chose email, but those who called felt more connected and reported no more awkwardness. Linked: Chicago Booth Review's account of the study.