The Human Voice Wields Power: Even Today

To this day, I won’t text my kids. I want to hear their voice; I want to hear if they’re happy, sad, excited or whatever. Their human voice gives me the clues that texting doesn’t allow. I have found this to be true in business as well. Now studies are showing the power of verbal communication.

The kids at camp who called their mothers nightly may have known more than their fellow campers thought. The human voice, like human touch, can act as a calming agent.

A 2011 University of Wisconsin study tested girls ages 7 to 12 who were given public-speaking assignments. Those who spoke to their mothers by phone or in person before the event had lower stress hormones than those who received email or texts or had no communication with their mothers at all.

In today’s hyper-communicating society, giving the human voice its due may seem counter intuitive. But though the keypad may be mighty, it’s also a weak substitute for the voice.

Why? The study suggests that texting removes the elements of pacing, tone and volume from communication. Emoticons are a poor substitute for the verbal cues that give words a meaning beyond the words themselves.

Unfortunately, many people spend the majority of their days communicating by computers and phones with little human interaction. Corporations have bought into the idea that regular tweets and status updates will build a support base among customers.

They may be rethinking that approach. According to a study out of the University of Missouri, adding a human voice element to an organization’s website can increase consumer satisfaction, building trust and commitment. As a result, many forward-looking companies are combining their online presence with a vocal presence.

Good to know the human voice is still in business.