Bank employees using emojis?

YouveGotAFastCar · 25/09/2023 21:43

Human touches such as emojis have been shown to reduce the abuse aimed at bank staff by quite a large margin.

You could have it added to your account notes that you dislike emojis, although they might be used until the agent reaches the point where they need to read your notes... It might be more effective to just say that you don't like emojis at the start of the chat.

It's not really anything to do with it being outsourced or young staff; emojis are commonplace for a wide range of people now. It's just based on research about how people, overall, prefer to be communicated with. It's extensively tested. Monzo are very proud of their friendly, jokey tone, so it makes sense that they apply it everywhere - although that example would have driven me up the wall, too. Almost all banks want a more human feel. Emojis are one tactic to get there.

I don't always love it, but I'm one person and no mass-applied technique will work for everyone.

cassiatwenty · 25/09/2023 21:33

givemeasunnyday · 25/09/2023 21:09

I'm 64 and couldn't care less who uses emojis. I use them myself often enough.

Edited

💓 My kind of person

Doyouthinktheyknow · 25/09/2023 21:26

AtmosAtmos · 25/09/2023 21:06

Just had your test results back @Doyouthinktheyknow You have a broken ❤, need to go to 🏥 immediately where the surgeon 👩‍⚕️ can meet you. 😀

Show quote history

🤣🤣
Not quite the right tone is it🤣
Definitely a time and place for an emoji🧐🤦‍♀️

givemeasunnyday · 25/09/2023 21:09

I'm 64 and couldn't care less who uses emojis. I use them myself often enough.

AtmosAtmos · 25/09/2023 21:06

Doyouthinktheyknow · 25/09/2023 20:56

Bit weird for banking. It’s a serious business in it🤨

It would be like a GP using emoji’s in a message to a patient! That would be weird too!

I’m a nurse, I use emoji’s in informal chat with colleagues but not more formal emails or external emails. Have to consider your audience.

I am old so might be completely out of touch but overall I do like an emoji or 2 and i think it adds expression to email and text conversation. It’s just not very professional so not always appropriate.

Just had your test results back @Doyouthinktheyknow You have a broken ❤, need to go to 🏥 immediately where the surgeon 👩‍⚕️ can meet you. 😀

Doyouthinktheyknow · 25/09/2023 20:56

Bit weird for banking. It’s a serious business in it🤨

It would be like a GP using emoji’s in a message to a patient! That would be weird too!

I’m a nurse, I use emoji’s in informal chat with colleagues but not more formal emails or external emails. Have to consider your audience.

I am old so might be completely out of touch but overall I do like an emoji or 2 and i think it adds expression to email and text conversation. It’s just not very professional so not always appropriate.

ZolaBudd · 25/09/2023 20:55

Fuxake. Get a hobby

AtmosAtmos · 25/09/2023 20:54

I’ve done webchat before and we were told not to use emojis as too informal. It’s hard to know who you are speaking to and how they will interpret. I might reply with the same emoji of a smile if the client uses it first.

I’d never use prayer one in any work context even if I knew the colleague was religious (I am). It’s not appropriate for something everyone should be fine seeing.

Seychal · 25/09/2023 20:42

HocasPocas · 25/09/2023 16:07

Am I just old now, it just feels unprofessional for a bank?!

Online to HSBC chat assistant and after the query twice he ended his sentence with 🙂🙂 🙏

OK if you want a £4,000 overdraft.

Not OK if you want a £25m business loan. I would ask for the whole process to be conducted in face to face meetings.

amicissimma · 25/09/2023 20:24

If someone's dealing with the money that I rely on to feed, clothe, warm, house etc myself, I prefer them to take it seriously and formally. I don't want a relaxed 'fun' attitude to my money, thanks.

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 25/09/2023 20:00

YANBU. It's unprofessional. You're a customer, not their mate or their mum.

ActDottie · 25/09/2023 19:58

It’s an online chat super informal so emojis are fine

Cola2023 · 25/09/2023 19:57

Livechat staff at banks are normally teenagers or early 20s. Often it's outsourced to call centres.

cassiatwenty · 25/09/2023 19:45

Hankunamatata · 25/09/2023 16:17

Nope love an emoji🤩

Me too. They help us paint our feelings online 👋🤠

orchardsquare · 25/09/2023 19:19

I agree and think it is a reflection of the dumbing down of society in general.

Naughty1205 · 25/09/2023 19:15

Very unprofessional!

farnhamgal · 25/09/2023 19:15

youcandanceifyouwanna · 25/09/2023 16:28

It is really disrespectful, and implies they don't value you enough to construct a sentence. I bet Coutts don't emoji their clients.

It's really disrespectful to use an emoji 😂😂😂😂😂😂

Give over 👍😁

PerfectYear321 · 25/09/2023 19:14

Sparklesocks · 25/09/2023 16:49

I think it depends on context.

I wouldn’t mind ‘glad I could help 😊’

But i guess I wouldn’t like ‘sorry you’re overdrawn 🥺’ or ‘due to falling behind on your mortgage payments we’ll be repossessing the property 😩😓🥴’

🤣🤣🤣🤣

Mumof2teens79 · 25/09/2023 19:11

TodayForTomorrow · 25/09/2023 17:57

It's instant messaging so emojis, especially simple smileys, are appropriate for the form of communications.

But...in most cases that's the ONLY way to contact them. Its not like I am choosing chat because I want a friendly informal chat...its because I have an urgent problem and its the only way to contact them. I want them to take it seriously and treat me with more respect.

Beetlebumz · 25/09/2023 19:09

Better things to worry about than this! Probably an AI anyway

CCTVcity · 25/09/2023 19:09

My dp once accidentally sent a client the unicorn exploding brain emoji. As the only character so it arrived extra large.

Mumof2teens79 · 25/09/2023 19:08

It's OK if it's a "friendly" chat. But I was complaining and trying to sort out a frustrating issue with one company and they kept doing it...just completely tone deaf!
Even after I said that I found the emojis unprofessional and not taking my issue seriously they kept doing it!

MinnieMouse0 · 25/09/2023 19:06

I think they are told to be as nice/friendly as possible? Plus a lot of the webchat employees are not UK based so maybe not so stuffy as us.

I once had an EON webchat guy tell me all about his lunch that day 😂

Oysterbabe · 25/09/2023 19:02

It's appropriate for a webchat.

Original poster

HocasPocas · 25/09/2023 19:01

Dolores87 · 25/09/2023 18:30

We had a huge issue with this with Monzo when their mess up almost cost us a house purchase and all they kept doing was passing us from one customer service agent to another and sending things like prayer emojs.

I made a complaint. In their response it just says that it's their friendly way of speaking. Gave me the serious rage.

That would have tipped me over the edge.

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