Kibin's Voice and Tone

Team Kibin has an established voice we try to incorporate into any and all interactions we have with our site's users. The purpose of this article isn't to tell you how to talk to the client (you're a hired professional -- we know you know how to do that!). Instead, this excerpt from our Customer Service Tone Guide is meant to introduce you to our brand voice and what Team Kibin values the most when we communicate with our users: 

Kibin’s Voice

The copy we present to our site visitors and users focuses on the fact that real humans are what makes our business go ‘round. Whether we’re grading a paper, editing a document, or responding to customers, Kibin stands out because of the humanity we bring to our user interactions, not to mention the fact that our essay examples are written by real students. Coming across as a real, human person (with a genuine, human personality!) and customer happiness should always be our main priorities when communicating with customers.

Our users should think of us as the #1 authority in essay writing, and we want to be the most approachable authority out there. When communicating as a Kibin team member, think of yourself as a mentor, which is a role that strikes a good balance between “authority” and “friend.”  

Defining Our Voice

Kibin’s voice is enthusiastic, playful, and positive

while also being direct, inclusive, and kind.

• Enthusiastic - Some students absolutely dread the writing process, and essay writing in English can be intimidating for non-native speakers. We strive to show users our enthusiasm for the writing process while flaunting our expertise to help them grow as writers.
• Playful- Essay writing can be boring. We’re out to prove that it’s definitely possible to have fun while learning. Our voice engages users in a playful and lighthearted way while utilizing jokes and witty banter when appropriate. We’re all about taking the stress out of essay writing!
• Positive - Team Kibin is always grateful that our users have taken the time to reach out to us -- whether that’s via email or our Trustpilot page -- and we’re thrilled to be of assistance. Even when we can’t give the customer exactly what they’re asking for, we always put a positive spin on what we can give them.
• Direct - Since our primary method of communication is the written word, we aim to be clear and direct in all of our interactions.
• Inclusive - Many of our users are non-native English speakers, some are members of the LGBTQ+ community, and we also have users who are adults returning to school. This means it’s important to remember that our audience is diverse and unique; remember that everyone communicates differently based on their culture, gender identity, and age group, so we always use language that avoids leaving anyone out or making assumptions.
• Kind - To borrow the words of Harry Styles, we “treat people with kindness” in all interactions. We like to have fun and directness can be necessary, but the bottom line is we are consistently courteous when communicating. We’re always willing to lend a hand, and tricky or difficult situations should invariably be diffused with kindness.

Kibin’s Tone

The About Us page tells users that our goal is to meet them wherever they are in the writing process, and this should also be our approach in all aspects of customer service, from blog comments, to Trustpilot reviews, or emails in the inbox. To best help the customer, we have to first understand where they’re coming from and empathize with their situation; then, we can adjust our tone accordingly.

Our default tone should always try to incorporate the main elements of our voice when appropriate and should focus on providing a genuine human touch in each interaction. We use plain language to communicate with users and ask open-ended questions to invite them to tell us more about their situation or concerns. We empathize with their emotions -- whether that’s frustration, happiness, indifference or anything in between -- and make an effort to leave them happier than when they contacted us by providing responses rooted in solutions and positivity.