Dealing with “Fishy” Customer Service

My friend recently received some strange customer service while dealing with a mid-sized company located in the USA.  He had purchased some sport fishing products about a year ago and, to his surprise, when he reached for the pole a couple of weeks ago, it broke in two.  He is very familiar with and loyal […]

The Customer is NOT Always Right

A while ago I attended a seminar in Toronto where the presenter talked about the value of good customer service in all types of industries.  He actually has a background in the restaurant and hospitality industries, so as you can imagine there was a lot of discussion about good and bas service at restaurants, and […]

Are You Afraid of Phoning?

Have you ever had the chance to call someone, but you didn’t? Maybe you sent an email instead, or maybe you said to yourself “Oh, I don’t need to call, he/she knows what I am thinking.” It is strange but true, many people, not just ESL students and immigrants, have a fear of phoning (in […]

Is a Fear of Phoning Killing Relationships?

A couple weekends ago I was involved in a training course in downtown Toronto and had to be at a particular hotel for the event both Saturday and Sunday slightly before 9am. Saturday morning I left my home late and decided to take a taxi, to ensure I was not late for the event (first […]

Identify Yourself Sooner Than Later

I recently received a phone call from a nice man looking at maybe doing a joint-venture and/or sharing space for workshops and seminars. Although it was a pleasant-enough conversation I would like to remind him and everyone else out there that you must identify yourself at the beginning of your phone call! He confirmed who […]

Do Not Abuse Voicemail

One thing I am sure we all hate is getting home after a long day’s work and checking phone messages, only to find out that half of the messages or more are from telemarketers. They leave a lovely message describing in painful detail all of the advantages of using their system, or buying their product, […]

Bookend Your Voice Messages

This means leave your (full) name and number clearly at the beginning and ending of your messages. Sometimes we are in a hurry and forget the little things that really help communication. Or we are just simply used to speaking quickly as our natural voice. And sometimes we forget that cell phones and the like […]

Communicating Loyalty to Staff

I recently attended a seminar where the presenter talked about the value of good or even great customer service in all types of industries. He actually has a background in the restaurant and hospitality industries, so as you can imagine there was a lot of discussion about good and bad service at restaurants, and how […]