The Phone Lady's Blog

First, a mea culpa. Last weekend was Thanksgiving and I totally lost track of the days – then the week went by in a blur of deadlines. Apologies for letting the last post slip away. And thanks for your comments. I think it is important … Read more

How many cold calls do you NEED to be making? There are several ways to figure this out, but here’s the one I use most often: 1. What is the (roughly) average amount of money an average client will spend with you in one year? … Read more

I received this email question on Friday: I was on hold today (waiting for technical support) from Point2 Systems. The system they use does not seem to be well maintained, interrupting it’s own messages and broadcasting dialing signals when it is simply repeating a message … Read more

It’s not a surprise that the thought of “cold calls” sends chills through most people. There really should be a better name for them – like information calls or marketing calls or calls of introduction. I’m a BIG believer in these calls – know them … Read more

Last week someone complained to me about a customer service experience they had with one of the big telephone companies. The woman who served them had a very bad cold and kept coughing right in their ear. Very irritating, they said. If you have the … Read more

Here’s question that arrived this week: I recently phoned a Halifax real estate agent on a listing of his I had seen while driving in a neighbourhood I’ve had an interest in for awhile. I was shocked at how rude and uninterested he was in … Read more

Telephone communication demands that you choose your words carefully, thoughtfully. Since they are not reinforced (or contradicted) by your body language, their impact is immediate and long-lasting. You want to always use words that will inspire two things – listening and dialogue. The word “just” … Read more

We have all been victims of the “fast talker” – the person who leaves their phone number in our voicemail so quickly we must “Press 1 to repeat this message” over and over. It is annoying! Avoid irritating others by learning how to leave your … Read more

The question below cites time delays but there are many other ways telephone communication can be difficult. Sore throats and colds, surprise visitors to your office, calling into a marketplace where your accent is unfamiliar, and the sounds of infants or children in the background … Read more

It is no exaggeration to say that the telephone has given me a fabulous life (I’ll tell you more in later posts) which is why I’ve been completely surprised to discover that many business people (approximately 80%) suffer from “phone phobia”. Entrepreneurs, salespeople, administrators (to … Read more

There’s no ”cookie cutter” answer to this question, but here’s a few guidelines. It’s important to treat voicemail as receptionist or executive assistant in order to “make things happen”. If you are returning the call of a known business contact and need to confirm the … Read more