The Phone Lady's Blog

listening

Common Causes for Miscommunication in Texts, Emails and DMs

By Miriam Jobin | December 16, 2019

I’ve spent a lot of time observing and researching miscommunications lately and something that I can’t seem to satisfy is the thought that we spend SO much time looking at each other’s words on a screen instead of listening to each other through a phone … Read more

The Phone Lady’s Best Advice in 2019

By Mary Jane Copps | December 14, 2019

As I’ve shared in many posts over the years, I love the business numbers, the statistics, the metrics. Technology allows all of us to look closely at the numbers behind so many of our activities. Take this post for example … I can now see … Read more

The #1 Reason I LOVE Phone Calls

By Mary Jane Copps | September 22, 2019

A few months ago an executive approached me about working with her sales team and we arranged to meet. She came to my office and we had a wide-ranging conversation about many aspects of her business and the specifics of the problems she wanted to … Read more

How the “Slow Poke” in a Costco Aisle Left Me Thinking

By Miriam Jobin | September 15, 2019

Earlier this week, I was walking down the frozen food aisle in Costco. You know, the one that comes after the huge bags of chips, fresh fruit and then frozen burgers and … full frozen pigs? Well, after trying to get ahead of a slow–paced … Read more

The #1 Reason To Improve Your Listening Skills

By Mary Jane Copps | May 26, 2019

Listening to audiobooks is one of my favourite things to do, especially when I’m on the road to Moncton, Charlottetown, Fredericton or Saint John. I’ve had the library app, OverDrive, on my phone for years and it feels like an exciting new gift every time … Read more

Lessons Learned From “Is That Me?”

By Mary Jane Copps | September 2, 2018

Throughout August I’ve been working on a project that’s had me navigating a huge learning curve – one I’ve been procrastinating on for quite some time. I’ve been “uncomfortable” throughout the process and it’s made me think about both my mother-in-law and the many people … Read more

5 Signs You’re Not Listening

By Mary Jane Copps | April 1, 2018

It was Sunday morning and I was enjoying a radio interview – a seasoned political journalist speaking with a high-profile guest. The topic interested me; I wanted to understand the guest’s thoughts and opinions. Unfortunately, the journalist stopped listening, and the conversation tumbled along without … Read more

Two Words That Don’t Belong Together

By Mary Jane Copps | November 4, 2017

Recently stuck in Halifax traffic, I was able to give my full attention to a radio interview. What I heard was a clear reminder of two words that, when put together, clearly announce our bias and can sound extremely confrontational. What are these two words … Read more

3 Ways You Can Impact Phone Communication

By Mary Jane Copps | June 10, 2017

Whether you want your sales team to be on the phone more often, or your clients to speak with you on the phone regularly, or your children to talk with their friends from time to time instead of texting, it all starts with you. Avoiding … Read more

Interrupting Myopia: Helping Prospects Embrace Your Value

By Mary Jane Copps | March 19, 2017

“Communication is not saying something; communication is being heard.” – Frances Hesselbein (Click to Tweet This!) A common frustration surfaces when I work with seasoned sales and customer service teams. “Why,” they ask me, “is it so difficult today to get prospects and customers to … Read more

The #1 Way To Build Relationships

By Mary Jane Copps | September 13, 2015

Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something. Plato My summer months were filled with delightful social situations, but The Phone Lady part of my brain doesn’t always understand the word “vacation”. It still observes and analyzes, feeding my … Read more

At the Sound of the Tone …

By Mary Jane Copps | January 18, 2015

… Tone of voice that is, the sound that gives words their direction and intention. In order to understand each other, it’s essential that we hear, recognize and respond to tone of voice. Yet we often squander the opportunity, choosing instead to click and send. … Read more

Ask – And Keep Asking!

By Mary Jane Copps | August 29, 2012

Riding the subway in Toronto recently I was inspired by the slogan of one of the local cellphone companies. Adapting it slightly, I want to introduce it as a foundation or core value for business success: “How do you keep your customers and clients happy; … Read more

Listen – Respond – Build Rapport

By Mary Jane Copps | February 12, 2012

This past week I was on the phone steadily and had several strong reminders of the importance of listening – and responding – to what I hear. This is vital to our ability to create and maintain strong relationships. Phone fear is grounded in our inability … Read more