Updated September 2026
If so much of how we understand each other comes from tone of voice, facial expressions and body language, how do you make sure what you say and hear over text isn't misread?
Most people think of words when they think of communication. But in person, a lot of meaning travels outside the words: a smile that softens a blunt sentence, a pause that says “I'm not sure”, a nod that says “go on”. When you work remotely, most of that disappears, and you have to keep reminding yourself that it's missing.
I've learned this over years as a remote worker, and I've built strong working relationships with my teammates at Pasilobus, most of whom I rarely or never meet in person. The same lessons apply if you run a Shopify store with a remote team, a freelance developer or an agency. Here are the habits that make the biggest difference.
1. Assume good intent
The person on the other end of a message has none of the signals you're used to, and what they type can sound harsher than they meant. A short “ok” or “why is this late?” reads very differently depending on the mood you're in when you open it.
So give people the benefit of the doubt by default. If a message lands badly, give yourself a minute before you reply. It's very likely there was no bad intent. Think of other explanations: they were busy, typing on a phone, writing in their second language, or simply direct by habit.
If you still read it as negative after a pause, don't reply straight away. If you're mid-conversation, say you need to step away and come back to it later, ideally the next day. You'll often see it differently, and your reply will be more useful. And when you're the one writing, reread anything important once for tone before you send it.
2. Put the tone back in on purpose
In text, you have to add the tone that your voice and face would normally carry. A few ways to do that:
- Say how you feel about it. “No rush on this” or “This one's urgent, sorry” removes the guesswork.
- Soften criticism with context. “This works well; one thing I'd change is…” is received very differently from the same change on its own.
- Use emojis and reactions where your team does. In chat, a quick reaction can say “seen, thanks” or “that's a joke” faster than words. Take your cue from the people you work with, and vary them: if every message ends with the same smiley, it stops meaning anything, and people may assume you're happy about something you're not.
- Be specific. “Can you look at the checkout banner by Thursday?” beats “Can you take a look at this?” every time.
3. Switch tools when a conversation stalls
Chat is the easiest way to talk remotely, but there are plenty of situations where it doesn't cut it. When you notice a thread going back and forth, or arguing, or brainstorming in circles, it's time to switch channels.
A video call clears up most misunderstandings quickly, as long as it's short and focused. Long calls lose people: attention drifts, and the conversation wanders. Have one goal for the call, and end it by agreeing who does what.
Then write it down. Move the outcome into your project management tool or task list, where everyone can find it later, and come back to anything unresolved in another short session rather than a marathon one. Be flexible: show something on a call, go back to chat, jump on a call again if you need to. The point is clarity, not the tool.
4. Write things down that matter
Remote teams live on written context. Decisions made on a call and never written down tend to be remembered differently by everyone who was on it. A few lines in a shared place, like “We're launching the sale on the 14th, Sam owns the banner, Ana checks discount codes”, saves a lot of confusion later.
This matters just as much when you work with outside help. A clear written brief is the single best thing you can give a developer or designer; we cover what goes in one in how to communicate with developers for a job brief.
5. Make time for the human part
In an office, relationships build themselves over coffee and small talk. Remotely, you have to make a little room for it: a few minutes at the start of a call, a channel for non-work chat, a thank-you when someone helps. It's what makes the benefit of the doubt in tip one come naturally.
The habit is the hard part
None of this is complicated, but it takes practice until it becomes a habit. Remote work can look easy from the outside; doing it well takes real, deliberate effort from everyone involved. If you're building a store with a distributed team, it's worth reading our thoughts on what it really takes to maintain an ecommerce site, and if you'd like a remote team that already works this way to look after your Shopify store, talk to us.