I've spent 20 years teaching people to communicate. Phone anxiety has never been worse. I see it most often among younger employees entering the workforce, and the issue is more complicated than it seems. Find out more.
customer retention
A client’s name shows up on your screen. You pause, for just a second, before responding. This pause is the moment where you bring care into the conversation. You might remember something meaningful from your last meeting. Or your voice carries warmth and calm instead of sounding frantic or rushed. … Read more
This past week, I spent the afternoon with a group of energetic business owners. We worked together to design each company’s approach to customer service. One of the reactions that resulted from our work was, as one participant put it, “I’m realizing I don’t know exactly what our clients are … Read more
One of the things that has increased steadily over my 16 years as The Phone Lady is requests for skills on communicating with an upset client/customer. There are numerous reasons why these skills are more in demand. One is, as a society, we are still working through the aftermath of … Read more
This past December, while visiting family in California, I received an email from CBC’s The Current. Associate producer Danielle Carr was interested in interviewing me. While the segment was about phone scammers and how they are changing our relationship with our phones, she wanted to add my perspective on what … Read more
This week’s post is from Rosanne Burke, a dementia care consultant, trainer and speaker. She offers dementia training workshops for business owners who want to learn how to make their business dementia-friendly and helps family caregivers feel more confident and competent by creating a personalized caregiving plan. In Canada, seniors … Read more
As many of you know, I recently dove into creating online courses. This has involved a massive learning curve – well, less a curve than a continual roller coaster (and I’m not a fan of roller coasters). The process could have been shorter – and more profitable for everyone – … Read more
My post of March 10 created feedback and debate, not only here on my website but on social platforms. Similar to most creators of a regular blog, I was thrilled this happened. Not only that, I learned a lot from the ensuing discussion that will directly impact the content I … Read more
Sara Moginot is a customer service aficionado, a regular reader of this blog … and the author of this article. While walking along the beach one afternoon, I watched my big red dog dart in and out of the waves. Groot brings zest to everything he does, wherever he is – … Read more
When it comes to creating a great experience for our customers, we need to ask the question, “What do our customers want?” Delivering service based on their expectations is key to our success. Fortunately, there are companies out there crunching the numbers for us and providing valuable insights. What statistics … Read more
Two years ago a Toronto-based client introduced me to their downtown hotel of choice. I deeply appreciated both the atmosphere and the service I received. Since then, whether in the city for work or personal reasons, I’ve stayed at this hotel. So I was very comfortable and confident when, working … Read more
Years ago, one of my most loyal clients asked me to deliver a workshop on a topic with which I had minimal expertise. When I declined, they asked me to find the right facilitator. And I did. She is Denise Williams, owner of Customer Service Consulting. She did an excellent … Read more
The word “loyalty” has become strongly associated with marketing activities. There are loyalty cards and programs. There are special offers and prizes. Loyalty is something businesses strive to capture, yet, as illustrated in a recent post, don’t always know how to retain. Perhaps that’s because loyalty thrives beyond our marketing … Read more
In 1988 my oldest stepdaughter was attending university, paying rent, working part-time and pursuing a singing career. Money was tight, to say the least, and it was definitely time for her to have her first credit card. My advice? The same card I was using which, at the time, was … Read more
We have all received dreadful customer service. It happens over the phone, in person and online. It can make us angry, frustrated and disappointed, and left wondering why the business would allow their staff, or their automation, to treat us so badly? Yet all of us have the potential to … Read more
On July 22 I shared with you a challenge I was having with my accounting software, Sage, and how it was influencing my thoughts on customer service. Not only did I receive great comments on the post, it ended up inspiring numerous online, phone and boardroom conversations. First … spoiler … Read more
I have a bill on my desk that is twice what I expected. It arrived from my accounting software company several months ago. Because I have this company set up for monthly auto payments, this large bill has already been paid … even though I have no knowledge of the … Read more
While there are many things about business travel that are a bit tedious, I do enjoy staying in a lovely hotel room; I put effort into making wise choices. But recent visits to a much-cherished hotel delivered some unexpected surprises and a powerful reminder of the importance of staying on brand. What were the surprises … Read more
Recently an entrepreneur I coach was feeling defeated by the loss of a long-time corporate client in Montreal. Persistent phone follow up had resulted in receiving an impersonal email saying the firm’s current focus was working with Quebec-based trainers. But she knew her work was unique and already of proven … Read more
To celebrate 20 years of The Phone Lady, we're revisiting what truly makes communication meaningful. Every second week, we'll share a bit of wisdom to remind us that small shifts in how we speak, listen, and connect make a big difference. (You'll also receive access to our Exclusive Resources, including 4 ebooks.)
Remember party lines? Switchboards? Yellow Pages? The traditional telephone is almost gone, but its cultural impact deserves a ringing endorsement. Mary Jane weighs in.
A fresh phone hell in the office: Younger workers who don’t say hello when they answer a call need to know it’s a problem. Mary Jane weighs in on generational phone challenges - read here.
Bosses and employees are wrestling over whether voice calls have a place in the hybrid era. The Wall Street Journal recently spoke to Mary Jane. Find out more here.
22 Minutes correspondent Brandon Hackett figures out which end is up on this thing called a telephone, with help from The Phone Lady. Watch Telephone Lessons for Millennials.