It’s happened. I’ve reached the point when I’m invited to speak on podcasts whose hosts are much younger than I am. Does this make me feel old? Surprisingly, no. It makes me appreciative of how much business experience I have to share. Keeping a positive mindset, I prefer to think of it as “sharing my
“With age comes wisdom” … and wrinkles. As a long-time solopreneur with a start in the corporate world, I’m fortunate to have more wisdom than wrinkles. I’m also fortunate to have the opportunity to share what I learned along the way with career coach and podcast host, Deborah Brown-Volkman. We covered a lot of ground
2023 is a milestone year for me. I started Quality Service Marketing 35 years ago after working in bank marketing for more than 10 years. Going out on my own was scary, but job security was relative as the bank I worked for was being acquired by a larger bank and I had survived a
Pandemic-induced stress and other reasons have led to decreasing workforce numbers and increasing pressure on remaining employees. Demanding, rude, and uncivil behaviors by some customers – and employers – only exacerbate the situation. Please be patient, understanding, and considerate. Thank you. [Image credits: “Dude breathe” photo by Kyndall Ramirez on Unsplash.jpg. Sign posted in office
With the exception of surgical doctors and nurses who are used to communicating while wearing masks, many of us are challenged to communicate effectively when half of our faces are covered. Until the pandemic, I took for granted how much our facial expressions greatly enhance verbal communications and personal interactions. Yet skilled service providers can
“A book is a gift you can open again and again.” Garrison Keillor I’m a fan of giving books as gifts especially when paired with soothing tea, specialty coffee, indulgent chocolate or other sweet treat. Such gifts feed the senses as well as the mind. So I’m happy to recommend five new nonfiction books that
It’s been several months since COVID-19 disrupted and changed the workplace. Regardless of where your employees now work – whether from home, at your place of business, on the road, or some hybrid approach – the following still applies. “The way your employees feel is the way your customers will feel. And if your employees
In the quest for product/service innovation, it’s easy to overlook an obvious source: your own customers. How to effectively involve and engage them – and make them feel valued in the process – can be found in Chip Bell‘s just-released book, Inside Your Customer’s Imagination: 5 Secrets for Creating Breakthrough Products, Services, and Solutions. Renowned
Understandably, people who ask for advice may not always follow it. But how they listen and respond makes a difference in the outcome and its impact on others. This includes frustrating encounters with “askholes” — people who constantly ask for your advice, yet ALWAYS do the complete opposite of what you told them to do”
[Note: When I wrote about the harm of ghosting at work, it focused on how the actions of prospective employees and HR can damage the employer brand. In the following post, well-respected authority on customer service, Chip R. Bell, addresses how ghosting can also damage the consumer brand when customers experience “intentional indifference.” This was originally