At the heart of every human exchange lies a paradox: when we speak or write, we extend something of ourselves into uncertain space, hoping it will take root in another mind. Ursula K. Le Guin, one of the great literary thinkers of the 20th century, called this “the beauty and terror of conversation.” Every message, whether a whispered story, a corporate statement or a customer email, is both risk and opportunity. It may blossom into understanding, or it may fall into silence. But always, it transforms both sender and receiver.
Beyond Transmission: Why Communication Is More Than Information
Le Guin challenged the mechanical model of communication, the idea of sender, message, receiver, as too limited. True communication, she argued, is not a transaction but a relationship. It is intersubjective: shaped in real time by both speaker and listener.
In customer communication, this means that a statement, bill, policy, or notification is never “just information.” It is a living event. It either invites customers into a relationship of trust and mutuality, or it reinforces distance.
Static PDFs, generic messages, and jargon-heavy updates resemble Le Guin’s “box A to box B” model, cold, one-directional and incomplete. Customers today, however, seek more than information. They want clarity, care and connection.
Le Guin’s mechanical model shows communication as a one-way transfer of information: efficient but lifeless
The Corporate Parallel
Most companies still lean heavily on transactional communication. A bank sends a balance sheet, a utility sends a bill, an insurance firm sends a policy renewal. The information is accurate, but the communication is mechanical. The opportunity to shape trust, loyalty and connection is often lost in the process. What Le Guin reminds us is that customers are not passive receivers. They are listeners who actively shape meaning, just as much as the company that speaks.
The Amoeba Model: Mutual Exchange, Not Lecture
Le Guin’s most vivid metaphor for communication was “amoeba sex.” Unlike a lecture, which flows in one direction, amoeba exchange is mutual: each gives bits of itself and receives bits of the other.
Her amoeba model reimagines communication as living exchange — mutual, dynamic and transformative.
Organizations can learn from this biological wisdom. Communication should not be a lecture to customers but a two-way bridge. A bank statement can allow questions and feedback. An insurance policy document can include explainer videos or chat support. A utility bill can contain sliders and calculators to let customers test scenarios. Each moment of dialogue becomes an act of shared meaning, not a command.
This is not only more engaging, but also more fun. As Le Guin noted with a sly smile, amoebas might not have nerve endings, but they sure know how to connect.
From Monologue to Dialogue
Most traditional business communication feels like monologue. The company speaks, the customer listens. Modern communication technology offers a different path. Embedded chat, AI assistants, interactive videos and personalized dashboards transform static messages into conversations. The shift is subtle but powerful: when customers are invited to interact, they feel heard, and when they feel heard, they are more likely to trust.
Entrainment: Getting in Sync With Customers
Le Guin described communication as entrainment, like two pendulums swinging into rhythm. People seek resonance, words, tone and timing that align with their needs.
For organizations, entrainment means:
- Personalization: Messages should reflect customer context, not broad averages.
- Accessibility: True sync requires ensuring that communications are understandable and inclusive, compliant with standards such as ADA and WCAG.
- Timeliness: Communication must anticipate, not just react, answering questions before customers feel frustration.
Dalí’s surreal rhythm reminds us that real conversation is about finding shared tempo with our audience
When companies achieve this alignment, communication feels less like noise and more like music. Or perhaps, as Dalí might have suggested, like a surreal symphony where everyone still finds their part.
Modern Examples of Entrainment
- Customer service in banking: Anticipating recurring questions about transactions by embedding explanations directly in digital statements.
- Insurance renewals: Using videos that adapt based on customer profile, explaining policy changes in everyday language.
- Utilities billing: Adding interactive calculators that let customers explore how conservation affects cost, creating alignment with both financial and environmental goals.
Entrainment is not about technology alone. It is about rhythm. The rhythm of clear, human-centered communication creates trust.
Even the monsters under the bed have something to say. Ignoring customers can invite bigger fears
The Risks of Silence and the Power of Voice
Le Guin reminded us that sound is never scenery; it is always event. A statement unopened or a message unread is not neutral. It is absence, a missed chance at connection. In regulated industries, it can also be costly. Miscommunication drives call center costs and exposes organizations to compliance fines.
Conversely, when communication is accessible, interactive and clear, it becomes a shared act of empowerment. Words, in Le Guin’s view, “do things.” In business, they can reassure a customer about their account, guide them through a claim, or invite them into deeper loyalty.
Think of it this way: even the monster under the bed has something to say. The question is whether you will listen, respond and turn the encounter into trust.
The Cost of Missed Communication
Research shows that over 70 percent of customers feel frustrated when they receive irrelevant communication. That frustration translates into higher churn, more calls to support centers and erosion of trust. Silence, or worse, irrelevant noise, is not harmless. It carries financial consequences.
On the other hand, customers reward communication that feels human and relevant. Studies show that strong customer experience can command up to a 16 percent price premium. In other words, communication is not just an operational detail. It is a strategic lever.
Toward a Culture of Mutual Communication
The future of customer communication is not about louder messages, but deeper ones. Le Guin’s insight is timeless: talking and listening are the same act. In corporate contexts, this means designing every document, notification or service message as a moment of mutual value, a chance to give and receive understanding.
Organizations that embrace this will:
- Reduce friction and support costs by embedding answers directly into communications.
- Build loyalty by showing customers they are seen as individuals, not account numbers.
- Foster trust by meeting compliance and accessibility standards that demonstrate care for all customers.
- Unlock new revenue opportunities by turning mandatory communication into personalized engagement.
Practical Takeaways for Leaders
- Audit your communication: How much of it is transactional, and how much is relational?
- Invest in accessibility: Inclusive design is not only ethical but legally and commercially sound.
- Experiment with interactivity: Even small changes, like adding feedback loops to statements, can yield measurable improvements in satisfaction.
- Measure entrainment: Track whether communication is reducing calls, boosting engagement or improving customer loyalty.
Closing Thought
Le Guin believed that words are magic. They create, connect and transform. In business, as in art, communication is not a side function. It is the beating heart of relationship. When companies honor this, every message becomes more than content. It becomes community.
Alan Burger is a strategist and thought leader in Customer Communication Management and Customer Experience Management. With decades of expertise in transforming enterprise communications, Alan helps organizations unlock value at the intersection of compliance, personalization, and customer engagement. He has been invited to contribute to DOCUMENT STRATEGY media to share insights on how AI and protocols like MCP are reshaping the future of digital customer interactions.
