Adaptive Listening™
Build trust and traction
Uncover a better way to listen that goes beyond active listening and paying attention. Learn about the way you prefer to listen, and adapt to meet the needs of others.
New Course
Cliché of the week: Debbie, the time life operator
You’ve known Debbie for years. She’s been there for you since you were a little kid, waiting patiently at the other end of an 800 number to fulfill your most urgent needs: that night when you just had to have the Mysteries of the Unknown collection or that rainy Sunday when you couldn’t live without the comforting sounds of AM Gold or Sounds of the Eighties.
Debbie’s been a constant in your life. You’ve seen her friendly smile in magazine ads, infomercials, even websites.
And now Debbie has migrated to PowerPoint slides.
When I polled our amazing team of Duarte Designers on their favorite clichés, this one scored in the top five. We see pictures of Debbie so often she feels a little like family to us. She even called us on the phone once.
Yeah, really. Debbie called us on the phone. You know what she said?
Debbie: I appreciate all the attention, guys. But I’m really sick of this work. The pay is crappy, and I’m tired of having my teeth whitened. I just want to spend the rest of my life sucking down Piña Coladas on the beach in Cabo. Please let me retire…
And there you have it. She doesn’t want the job any more! So let’s allow Debbie to fade away into the sunset, and find a new way to express the idea of “friendly customer service”.
