Freedom of Speech

The limits of scripting interaction

A lot of customer encounter design is talking about the words we say. It's very important to consider the influence our words can have. But as every actor can tell you, it's equally important to remember that not every line works from every person. A script needs to be shaped by the person delivering it.

Also, tight scripts lead to rigid thinking, discouraging the flexibility which can make or break a customer experience.

As Barry Schwartz puts it in his TED talk on wisdom.

"We know why these scripts are there. We don't trust the judgment of [employees] enough to let them loose on their own. Scripts like these are insurance policies against disaster.

And they prevent disaster. But what they ensure is mediocrity."

So: give your people a verbal toolset, not a rigid script. It's not just about showing trust, it will actually work better.

(At Work•Play•Experience, we call this freescripting.
You can read more on this theme here.)

Speech bubble pic from Illustir at flickr