What are some positive rather than negative phrases we can use?

This was orginally posted February 4, 2007

Suppose a customer calls you because an order they placed has not yet arrived. They want to find out when delivery can be expected. What do you say? I often hear agents say, "I’ll have to ring the warehouse." There are very few "have to’s" in life. I wonder if, psychologically, when we get a call like that we think, “Gee I wish I didn't have to do that!”. It makes our thinking negative which can actually 'be heard' in the way we say it. When I ask people to turn this negative statement into a positive one, more often than not they turn it into a neutral one such as, "I will ring the warehouse for you."

An alternative way, which would be more positive, might be to say, "I'd like to ring the warehouse for you."

The phrase “I’d like to” rather than “I’ll have to” actually creates a whole different way of thinking. You can extend this even further by varying your voice qualities. For example, if you speak more softly and a little slower and say, “What I'd like to do for you is…” it can sound as though you're doing something very special just for that customer.

What positive phrases have you used and, more importantly, how do you say them? Click on the link below and make your contribution.