Pair up with another student. Take turns with one of you being the service manager and the other being the customer. This is an opportunity for you demonstrate how the difference in tone of voice affects the message that it communicates and the difference in how it makes the hearer feel.

First, here are three common statements that a customer might say:

“You need to fix my problem right now.”

“You are responsible for this.”

“What are you going to do about this?”

Now, here are three different scenarios that describe different customers and their very different approach to this interaction with the service manager:

Very detached and intellectual . . . just reporting the facts.

Very impatient and agitated Judgmental and blaming . . . wanting to make somebody pay for this mistake You decide Take turns role playing as service manager and customer saying each of these three statements as you think the customers would say them to the service manager under these circumstances.

Did the different attitudes and approaches result in you receiving a different message? How did it make you feel?