Pragmatic Cyberpoliteness Speech Act Strategies in WhatsApp-Mediated Customer Support

<p class="ql-align-justify">This research investigates how customer service representatives (CSRs) at an internet service provider employ digital politeness strategies through speech acts when communicating with clients via digital messaging channels. The study aims to identify and analyze different types of speech acts used in these interactions, while examining how traditional Javanese cultural politeness norms and digital communication factors influence professional customer service interactions. Data was gathered by systematically analyzing WhatsApp group conversations between service staff and customers using netnographic methods. The research employed a non-participatory observational approach, enhanced by comprehensive interviews with customer service employees and their clients. The analysis drew upon speech act theory and digital politeness frameworks, considering the unique aspects of online communication environments. Results reveal that CSRs primarily utilized commissive, confirmation-seeking, directive, phatic, and expressive speech acts to achieve specific communication goals. From a cultural standpoint, these speech acts served to maintain relational harmony and reduce potentially Face-Threatening Acts (FTAs). The study also shows how CSRs modify traditional Javanese communication practices to fit digital platforms. Theoretically, this work enhances academic knowledge of cultural pragmatics in professional communication settings, while practically offering valuable insights for CSR training initiatives in diverse organizational contexts. Furthermore, the research highlights the essential need to incorporate cultural awareness into designing effective digital customer service communication strategies.</p>