“Hi, I’m calling for Pamela.”
“This is she.”
One recent study conducted at the University of Michigan indicates that people who say, “This is she,” on the phone are perceived as condescending and arrogant, which can put them at a disadvantage in the workplace. When you say, “This is she” instead of something like, “Waddup, boi?!” people may see you as cold and unfeeling.
The experiment was simple: one hundred individuals were instructed to call a customer service line and asked to speak with someone named Emily. The actor on the other end of the line responded to half the participants by saying, “This is she.” The other half received a normal response, like, “In da hizzouse!”
The results are astounding. Participants who were told, “This is she,” were three times more likely to assume that their customer service rep was older, more distant, or lit squirrels on fire as a child.
Over time, these kinds of negative responses add up, resulting in lower wages, worse performance reports, and even increased rates of termination for those who say, “This is she,” on the phone, as opposed to, “Alright, bozo, let’s shoot the shit!”
The researchers conducted interviews with the participants immediately following the phone calls, which further corroborated the theory that this phrase negatively impacts the way in which others perceive you.
“Who does she think she is?” said one participant, who asked to remain anonymous. “A simple ‘That’s my name; don’t wear it out,’ will do.”
So, what’s the takeaway for the average gal? Avoid the phrase, “This is she” when speaking on the phone. Remember that what you say makes a huge difference in how you are perceived, so stick to safer alternatives like, “Booyah!” and “Aight.”
