Why We Want Kelly To Pick Up Our Call

Imagine calling a customer service line and someone with the sunny energy of Kelly Ripa answers. Would you feel better? How about if the rep's voice resembled Oprah Winfrey's wise tone, would you be confident your concerns would be heard? OK. Now what if a Britney Spears sound-alike picks-up?

Turns out most of us would probably prefer speaking to a synthesized computer voice. According to a recent study from Maritz, a market research firm, the ideal voice personalities for female call center representatives include those that sound like Winfrey, Ripa, or Ellen DeGeneres. The favored male servicer?  His vocals would echo Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, or former The Price Is Right host Bob Barker.

What is it about certain celebs that would make them so appealing to speak with on the telephone? Star power combined with positive energy, says Susan Berkley, author of Speak to Influence: How To Unlock the Hidden Power of Your Voice and president and founder of The Great Voice Company. There is a direct link between physical energy and the sound of someone’s voice, says Berkley. “The number one thing about Kelly Ripa and Oprah Winfrey is that people are responding to their enthusiasm and warmth."

Of course not all star-sized voices feature personality traits that suit the customer service profession. “Rosie O’Donnell has cultivated a series of not so warm and fuzzy moments with the media," says Berkley, of the survey's lowest ranked celebrity. "She is feisty, but feistiness and customer service don’t go together.” Other star personalities who we'd prefer not dealing with: the aforementioned Ms. Spears and Whitney Houston.