This is Malcolm Gladwell http://www.gladwell.com/ (you've no doubt read his book The Tipping Point) with a theory on tone of voice.
The theory is that doctors don't get sued because they scew up. They get sued because they screw up and because the patient didn't like the way the doctor talked to them. And by listening to the tone of voice the doctor uses , you can tell if the doctor is more likely to get sued.
The patient is happy when the doctor shows respect. Respect is conveyed by a warm tone of voice. If the doctor has a more dominant tone of voice, the patient doesn't feel respected. Bye bye doc, hello lawyer.
Yaffle reckons that tone of voice is actually more significant in delivering customer satisfaction than providing good service. And guess what, he's right.
And it doesn't just apply to doctors. It applies to banks and insurance companies and retailers and presidents. And to conversations and letters and emails and podcasts and bloody IVR phone systems and websites and...anything that is written or said. Anywhere. Ever. By anyone.
Anyhow, have a listen:
Back soon.....
