A Brighter Future For Client Service?

Clive Thompson wrote a terrific piece in Wired Magazine in August 2009, citing a five year study conducted by Dr. Andrea Lunsford at Stanford. The Stanford Study of Writing was a substantial undertaking where, between 2001 and 2006, she led a review of more than 14,000 student writing samples - everything from academic papers to Twitter updates. The results not only dispelled fears among many about the evolution of our language, but also provided illuminating insights about the future of client service.

I hear people lament the demise of the English language all the time. They speak to how texting, tweeting, and other such practices are contributing to poor grammar, marginal spelling, and an inability to express oneself "properly" in the written form. Lunsford disagrees. She claims, "I think we're in the midst of a literacy revolution the likes of which we haven't seen since Greek civilization." And as Thompson points out, "For Lunsford, technology isn't killing our ability to write. It's reviving it—and pushing our literacy in bold new directions."

Among other things, Lunsford's study shows they are highly attuned to their audiences and write with a sense of purpose and persuasion that is actually at a higher level when compared with previous generations. The fact that today's young people write so frequently across so many different platforms may not make them better writers in the classic sense, but the evidence suggests they may be stronger communicators than their parents. Rather than criticizing and judging our young people, this is an area where we should learn from them.

Let's face it, client service excellence is about mindset and communication. These students care about their audiences and know how to reach them - a powerful combination. It's likely the next generation entering the workplace will lead a client service revolution as well. Let's hope so!

*Image from edutopia.org