Finding the right Accent for your Brand

Its’s interesting how accents can reflect how we think and feel about someone on an interpersonal level. After all a person’s accent is part of their identity and can often carry certain stereotypes with the slang they use or the inflection in their voice.  For example: stereotypically, a New Yorker may come across as sharp or even rude. A British RP (Received Pronunciation) accent can feel sophisticated and proper whilst a Yorkshire accent can appear friendly and more trustworthy.  With such an array of accents to choose from which one should you consider for your company’s telephony system and is it important to use certain regional terms or tones to engage with your target audience?

Knowing your caller’s demographic can help massively.  Scripting, tone of voice and gender can play a big part in your brand identity and what you’re trying to pitch to potential callers.  Can you imagine using a refined upper-class accent for an ‘all you can eat’ buffet message? What about using the same accent for a gym or automotive company?  It maybe wouldn’t work because the demographic would be off.  Unless intentionally done, you could risk appearing to be arrogant or confusing, so it’s best to research your clients so you can provide a voice that’s relatable to them and the experience they are anticipating.

Regional accents can also be used to express heritage and or links to a specific place, so if you only operate in Scotland, a local accent may play well with your customer base. Likewise, if your organisation is known for its roots in the Midlands, then you could express this through a recognisable accent.

If you find your callers are all over the map, it may be wise to choose an RP accent. Studies show that most people recognise RP as a ‘typically British accent’ that is also nonspecific’.  This type of accent is a good all rounder as it will appeal to ‘most’ demographics and can complement a wide variety of brands and ethnicities.  As the RP accent is known worldwide it’s extremely versatile and can be used in other countries who may be multi lingual. This can help companies keep consistency throughout their brand wherever they’re based.

If you’re looking to optimise your customers’ telephony experience, PromptVoice can help you find the right voice for your brand.  With years of experience helping both large and small clients, PromptVoice can provide you with the perfect mix of script, voice and music giving your callers an experience they can relate to. See some examples of PromptVoice dialects and languages here.