What is the Status of 'Status'? Understanding the Action of Soliciting an Update On Equipment being Repaired

Author:

• Heidi A.K. Kevoe-Feldman (Rutgers University)

Abstract:

This paper uses conversation analysis to examine simple status solicitation calls to customer-service agents in an electronics-repair organization, and what participants constitute as an adequate response to these solicitations. Findings include that customers orient to return status as a sufficient response to these solicitations. While data shows that representatives also orient to return status as a sufficient response, representatives do not always provide return status. This raises the possibility that representatives 'withhold' return status for particular institutional reasons.