Picture this: you're handling a customer call, and suddenly you feel that familiar knot in your stomach. The customer's tone has shifted, their questions are becoming repetitive, and you're thinking, "I really hope this doesn't escalate." Sound familiar? Here's what most people don't realize - that ...

The landscape of customer service has fundamentally shifted, and if you're still measuring success by how quickly problems get solved, you're missing the real reason calls escalate. After two decades of studying high-pressure conversations and interviewing thousands of frontline professionals, I can...

When I uploaded my very first YouTube video, I didn’t have a fancy mic.
I didn't even show my face on camera.
I didn’t even think it was a good video.

But the message was strong:
“Top Six Ways to Get an Angry Customer to Back Down.”

I filmed it because I wanted to help people navigate tough c...

The landscape of customer service has fundamentally shifted. While AI handles the straightforward stuff—password resets, shipping updates, basic policy questions—your team is left dealing with what technology can't touch: the emotionally charged, complex, deeply human conversations that require far ...

This is the week when many of us step out of our routines.
Some people travel.
Some host. (This year I'm hosting Thanksgiving for the first time in a long while.)
Some recharge.
Some brace themselves.

And whether we’re talking about a packed airport, a busy store, a family gathering, or a tense cus...

Every day, your customer service team faces emotional customers, long handle times, and stressful escalations. One frustrated caller can disrupt not only the customer experience, but also the emotional state of your employees for the rest of the day.

As leaders, we want our teams to stay calm, take...

Picture this: an angry customer is on your phone, voice raised, cutting you off. Your heart starts racing, your shoulders tense up, and before you know it, you're matching their energy. Sound familiar? We've all been there, and it's not fun for anyone involved.

But what if I told you there's a simp...

Picture this: a customer calls in, voice shaking with frustration, speaking faster than usual, and you can practically feel the tension through the phone. Their logic has left the building, and you're face-to-face with what I call limbic hijack. This is the moment when a customer's emotional brain t...

Every leader today is focused on how AI is transforming customer experience, communication, and team interactions with customers. However, there is one thing that even the most advanced AI cannot accomplish: calming emotions.

AI can analyze language and predict behavior, but when a customer is e...

Picture this: two chimpanzees locked in a fierce battle. One, realizing he's losing, makes a surprising move. He grabs a baby chimp and holds it up to his opponent. Instantly, the aggression melts away. The alpha's testosterone plummets, and calm descends.

This isn't just an interesting animal b...

Customer Service Week is just around the corner, and if you're like most organizations, you're probably thinking about how to celebrate your hardworking team. But let's face it, while balloons and bagels are nice, they don't exactly leave a lasting impact. What if I told you there's a way to recogni...

Have you ever found yourself in a heated exchange with an angry customer, feeling like you're caught in an endless rally of frustration? I've been there, and I know how challenging it can be to navigate these high-tension situations. But what if I told you that the secret to defusing these encounter...