Sentences that create obligations you did not mean to make
A chat message is a written record made by somebody authorised to speak for the business. Five kinds of sentence create commitments people do not realise they are making: guarantees, dates, prices, admissions and advice.
Not legal advice. This is about the operational habit of writing messages that mean what you intend, which is worth having whatever your jurisdiction says.
The five
| Instead of | Say |
|---|---|
| It will definitely arrive Thursday | It's scheduled for Thursday; I'll tell you if that changes |
| This is guaranteed for 5 years | The manufacturer's warranty is 5 years - details attached |
| We'll match any price | Send me the quote and I'll see what I can do |
| That was our mistake and we'll cover everything | That shouldn't have happened. Let me find out what we can do today |
| That should be safe to use | I'm not able to advise on that - here's the manufacturer's guidance |
Dates are the common one
"Thursday" typed by an agent is a promise the business made. It is usually said to be helpful, from information that was accurate at the time, and it becomes the thing the customer holds you to. The fix is not vagueness - vagueness is its own problem - it is attaching the condition: scheduled, expected, and a commitment to say if it changes.
Admissions
Apologising well and admitting liability are different things, and the first does not require the second. "That shouldn't have happened and I'm sorry" is warm, human and does not concede who is responsible for what. See handling an angry customer for why speed matters more than the precise words.
Advice outside your competence
Medical, legal, financial, safety. An agent being helpful about whether a product is suitable for a condition is the highest-risk sentence in any inbox. The rule is one line: refer to the manufacturer, the professional, or the documentation, and say why.
What this means for training
- Tell people their messages are the business speaking. Most have not thought about it.
- Give them the safe phrasings, written down, for the five above.
- Give them authority to be generous quickly, which removes the pressure to over-promise.
- Keep the conversations, so that when a screenshot arrives you have the rest of the exchange.
Questions people actually ask
Is a WhatsApp message legally binding?
In many jurisdictions a written exchange can form or vary an agreement, and a chat message is written. Treat what an agent types as something the business said.
Can a customer use a screenshot as evidence?
Routinely, and they do. Which is a reason for your own copy of the conversation to be complete and retained.
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