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The Phone Lady's Blog
phone etiquette
Just over a month ago, I was introduced to Leslie Gallagher with a request to help her pick up the phone. Her ability to own her discomfort and her determination to learn a new skill has been inspiring. She’s agreed to share her experiences with … Read more
A dear friend of mine used to say “There are three possible answers to every question – yes, no and I don’t know.” I’m reminded of the wisdom of these words often, especially when it comes to the telephone. Effective phone communication is direct and honest. … Read more
Overwhelmed is a word I use in most of my workshops and keynotes. I use it to describe why it can be difficult to reach people on the phone today and why it’s vital for all of us to know our customers’ needs and be precise … Read more
Some of my summer has been occupied by phone projects for a diverse group of entrepreneurs. I love doing these projects. For me there is something delightful about sitting at my desk with research tools on my computer screen, pen and paper close by (along … Read more
This week I’m introducing you to Peggy Issenman, owner of the graphic design firm Peggy & Co., based here in Halifax. I have known Peggy for several years as we have friends in common and have found ourselves enjoying each other’s company at birthday and … Read more
When communication between a customer and a company falls apart, it’s usually because the company representative forgot the #1 rule of great service … It’s Not About You! The example below provided courtesy of Scott Anderson: I recently called a well-known hardware store chain to … Read more
The month of June has arrived … and with it my deadline to complete the manuscript for my upcoming book, appropriately called The Phone Book. And I need your help! While I’m struggling to put words in the right order for my publisher Boularderie Island Press, I … Read more
Five years before I was born, an accident took place that had a huge impact on my life. A truck carrying metal rods came to a sudden stop in front of the car my dad was driving. One of the rods went through the windshield … Read more
I want to thank my dear friend Janet E. Bardon, HR Administrator, Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University for this week’s post. One of my core values in phone communication is we must always speak so that our customers “hear” our desire to be of service. … Read more
My thanks to Phil O’Neal of Taylor Forge Engineered Systems and to voice talent Natasha Marchewka for inspiring this post. Dismay is a common reaction when I talk to entrepreneurs, salespeople and fundraisers about follow up. The discipline and persistence involved is uncomfortable for most people. And … Read more
“B” stands for Be Brief or Be Precise. Most of us would immediately say “yes” to having more time; our days are filled to capacity. This is why a loooooong voice mail message is unappreciated, often unanswered and sometimes deleted without ever being heard. The … Read more
Irritating and frustrating are the two most common words I hear when people talk about “phone tag”. Think about that for a moment … is this how you want to make your clients or prospects feel – irritated and/or frustrated? And take it one step further – … Read more
Leaving a message is one of the basics of effective telephone communication yet many of us find ourselves stumbling “at the sound of the tone”. The first “A” of message leaving stands for Always, as in always leave a message. Of course, there’s an exception … Read more
I’m sure I’m not alone when I admit that I have been packing up my things and saying my farewells at the end of a committee or board meeting only to be startled by a voice arising from the middle of the table. “Thanks for … Read more
Using email to sell to prospects and clients without any conversation is like working on a jigsaw puzzle with pieces missing. The end result won’t be what you wanted and … it won’t be as much fun! It isn’t that I don’t appreciate email. Know … Read more
If you or your team are responsible for reaching business decision makers by phone, you need to acknowledge the subtle shifts that have taken place in the past two years. And then you have to adapt … or see both revenue and morale falter. The … Read more
Recent work calling into Vancouver has provided a great story of how not to answer the phone: At one association I was greeted by what I’ll call an “unengaged” receptionist. She wasn’t unpleasant, but she wasn’t welcoming either. She did not use her name when … Read more
There’s no doubt we are struggling to communicate with each other. I don’t mean that we are having a hard time understanding each other, although that certainly happens. I mean we are having troubling connecting, knowing which medium to use to reach which audience … … Read more
I’ve been contemplating some criticism I received back in August about how I handle incoming calls. The Wall Street Journal article had just been published and there were people from all over the world reaching out to me. And for many of them their expectation … Read more
If you want to test out, practice or stretch your phone skills, I have a challenge for you this week. I’ve been asked the question “Why the telephone?” a lot in the past few weeks. And while I’ve been contemplating the many different answers, I … Read more
It’s not what you say; it’s what people hear. Dr. Frank Luntz I certainly have word envy about that statement – so succinct, so true and the raison d’etre of The Phone Lady. The words we choose have a huge – and sometimes everlasting – … Read more
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Listen in as Liz Solar interviews Mary Jane: Connect Better Through Voice on Voice Action
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Some on Wall Street are hanging up on voicemail. See what The Phone Lady has to say.