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EP358: Joan Johnston - The Customer Whisperer · Respark Your Life

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Our customers are not anonymous and they're our family, our friends, our colleagues, our customers,
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: even yourself. Every interaction, personal or professional, carries with it the potential for
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: magic. And when you make someone else feel seen and heard and valued, it's no longer about business,
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: It's about creating real trust, real connection in real time.
• 0:29
  Speaker 2: Hello, this is Raymond Aaron, New York Times top 10 bestselling author, bringing you Respark Your Life podcast, the world's premier podcast to ignite the fire to allow you to live life on your own terms.
• 0:42
  Speaker 2: Every single Thursday, I bring you a multi-millionaire, world-famous celebrity to teach you about the most fascinating ways in order to live a far better life.
• 0:55
  Speaker 2: Every single Thursday, you just need to subscribe by hitting the subscribe button.
• 1:00
  Speaker 2: I'll see you every Thursday to re-spark your life.
• 1:06
  Speaker 3: Yes, this is Raymond Aaron, New York Times Top 10 Best-Selling Author.
• 1:10
  Speaker 3: And I always bring you stealth wisdom.
• 1:13
  Speaker 3: What is the stealth wisdom for today?
• 1:16
  Speaker 3: It's customer whisperer.
• 1:19
  Speaker 3: Can you be a customer whisperer?
• 1:22
  Speaker 3: What the heck is a customer whisperer?
• 1:25
  Speaker 3: And why have I brought Joan Johnson here to tell you all about it?
• 1:30
  Speaker 3: Well, let me explain.
• 1:32
  Speaker 3: Joan is an award-winning author, keynote speaker, and transformational coach
• 1:37
  Speaker 3: with over 50 years of experience.
• 1:39
  Speaker 3: Wow.
• 1:39
  Speaker 3: Wow. She is the author of two influential books. One is actually called The Customer Whisperer,
• 1:46
  Speaker 3: and the other is called The Authorities. She empowers leaders like you to build teams that
• 1:53
  Speaker 3: lead with empathy, serve with excellence, and sustain high morale, even under pressure.
• 2:01
  Speaker 3: Through her signature message and heartfelt delivery, she inspires you to wave your wand
• 2:08
  Speaker 3: and transform everyday service moments into lasting impressions
• 2:12
  Speaker 3: where people feel seen, heard, and genuinely valued.
• 2:18
  Speaker 3: Wow.
• 2:19
  Speaker 3: You can do that?
• 2:20
  Speaker 3: First of all, Joan, hello.
• 2:22
  Speaker 3: Hello, Raymond.
• 2:23
  Speaker 3: How are you?
• 2:24
  Speaker 3: Are you excited?
• 2:25
  Speaker 3: Are you excited for this interview?
• 2:26
  Speaker 1: I'm very excited, Raymond.
• 2:29
  Speaker 3: Okay.
• 2:29
  Speaker 3: Before we delve into customer whispering, what the heck is it?
• 2:34
  Speaker 1: A customer whisperer is someone who does not use force, doesn't influence by raising the voice, influences by raising the standard. Standard of empathy, standard of compassion, and standard of service. So that is what a customer whisperer is. It's somebody who takes time to build that connection with others.
• 2:58
  Speaker 1: I believe in a world where everyone who walks through our doors, whether a customer or staff, leaves feeling seen, heard, and valued.
• 3:09
  Speaker 1: And that is my vision.
• 3:12
  Speaker 1: But my mission is to make sure that I and everybody else makes a positive difference in people's lives.
• 3:21
  Speaker 1: So that is my vision and my mission.
• 3:25
  Speaker 1: And I will explain how I got there and what customer whisper means as we move along.
• 3:32
  Speaker 1: But a little bit about myself, Raymond, because customer whispering really is all about relationships, relationships of every kind.
• 3:41
  Speaker 1: And I've been a wife, a mother, a leader, an author, and a keynote speaker.
• 3:48
  Speaker 1: And in all of my relationships, I believe that my heart has always been about service and service to others.
• 3:58
  Speaker 1: And I brought that with me throughout my life and throughout all of my career.
• 4:03
  Speaker 1: So I've been married to my incredible husband for 50 years.
• 4:08
  Speaker 1: We have two amazing children and nine wonderful grandchildren.
• 4:14
  Speaker 1: That is a long-term relationship that has inspired me and taught me all about patience, love, and pure joy.
• 4:24
  Speaker 1: My other long-term relationship is with the Ontario government.
• 4:30
  Speaker 1: I worked within public service for over 50 years, with 25 of those years in leadership roles.
• 4:39
  Speaker 1: And my focus has always been about customer service, serving people, particularly those suffering from poverty, disability, or systemic barriers, making life harder for them.
• 4:55
  Speaker 1: Throughout my tenure, Raymond, I have had my own share of challenges.
• 5:01
  Speaker 1: I have had career stagnations, have had to prove myself over and over and over again,
• 5:10
  Speaker 1: experience racism, genderism, and ageism.
• 5:15
  Speaker 1: But the most important thing is that these experiences built my resilience muscle and made me the person that I am today.
• 5:26
  Speaker 1: And through all of my relationships, I learned the ability to transform complaints, customer complaints, into meaningful conversations and even compliments.
• 5:41
  Speaker 1: and Raymond, that's how I became known as the customer whisperer.
• 5:46
  Speaker 3: Okay. Now I notice, let's say a courier comes to our door. I'll just accept the package,
• 5:52
  Speaker 3: say thank you. If I remember him from a previous visit, I'll say, great to see you again. And that's
• 5:58
  Speaker 3: it. But my wife will chat with them and they'll find out amazing things about each other. They
• 6:10
  Speaker 3: that. So is my wife a customer whisperer and I'm not? Well, you're both customer whispers,
• 6:17
  Speaker 1: but at different levels. Let me give you a very practical example. Raymond, imagine that you walk
• 6:24
  Speaker 1: into your favorite coffee shop. You're running late. Your mind is racing with a thousand things
• 6:30
  Speaker 1: you have to do that day. You step up to the counter and the person behind you, the person
• 6:36
  Speaker 1: behind it hands you a cup and you glance down as a name scribbled on it. It's not yours.
• 6:43
  Speaker 1: It is someone else's. Doesn't that make you feel insignificant, invisible? Now picture this instead,
• 6:50
  Speaker 1: Raymond. You walk into that same coffee shop and before you even get to the counter, the barista
• 6:57
  Speaker 1: looks up, smiles at you and says, Raymond, your favorite drink is ready. One latte, no foam,
• 7:06
  Speaker 1: just the way you like it. Raymond, what changed? It's still coffee and just the name on a cup.
• 7:13
  Speaker 1: But in that moment, you're not just another customer. You feel seen and heard and valued
• 7:22
  Speaker 1: and your day got just a little bit brighter.
• 7:26
  Speaker 1: That is the magic that I have in my book
• 7:28
  Speaker 1: that I want to discuss with you.
• 7:30
  Speaker 1: That's the magic that your wife has.
• 7:32
  Speaker 1: That is the magic that we all hold in our hands.
• 7:36
  Speaker 1: It is the magic of service and connection
• 7:40
  Speaker 1: and of turning ordinary moments into extraordinary ones.
• 7:45
  Speaker 1: It is a magic that anyone can master.
• 7:48
  Speaker 1: And in my book, I call it customer whispering.
• 7:51
  Speaker 1: And I teach you how to become a customer whisperer and have people walk away from every interaction thinking, wow.
• 8:02
  Speaker 3: Oh, my gosh.
• 8:03
  Speaker 3: That's amazing.
• 8:05
  Speaker 3: That's amazing.
• 8:06
  Speaker 3: Now, you say every interaction.
• 8:08
  Speaker 3: That's just like the ideal.
• 8:11
  Speaker 3: But can you actually achieve it?
• 8:13
  Speaker 3: Every interaction?
• 8:15
  Speaker 1: Well, it is a journey.
• 8:17
  Speaker 1: And as we practice, like any other journey, we get better as time goes on.
• 8:22
  Speaker 1: But we have to start with every interaction and get better at it.
• 8:27
  Speaker 1: So, yes, but who are the people that we serve?
• 8:30
  Speaker 1: Our customers are not anonymous and they're not strangers.
• 8:34
  Speaker 1: They're all around us.
• 8:36
  Speaker 1: They're our family, our friends, our colleagues, our customers.
• 8:41
  Speaker 1: And yes, even yourself.
• 8:44
  Speaker 1: Every interaction, whether personal or professional, carries with it the potential for magic.
• 8:52
  Speaker 1: And when you make someone else feel seen and heard and valued, it's no longer about business.
• 9:00
  Speaker 1: It's about creating real trust, real connection in real time.
• 9:11
  Speaker 3: Aha. Do you know, I have an example of this. Let me, well, let me tell you the example and you tell me if it applies. My girlfriend and I, 30 years ago, well before I met my wife, we were short of time to get to a play, but we were really hungry.
• 9:30
  Speaker 3: So we ran into this restaurant, hoping we could get served that out of there fast.
• 9:36
  Speaker 3: And we were like, we were panting because we were running.
• 9:39
  Speaker 3: And we sat down and the waiter came over and said, would you like to order?
• 9:44
  Speaker 3: Or would you like to arrive?
• 9:47
  Speaker 3: And we looked at each other and said, we would like to arrive.
• 9:51
  Speaker 3: And for years after that, in our relationship, we would talk about, hello.
• 9:58
  Speaker 3: Like if my girlfriend came home and I was already home, I would say, hello, dear, would you like to arrive?
• 10:05
  Speaker 3: And we would laugh our heads off because that one sentence, that one moment had a lasting impression 30 years later.
• 10:13
  Speaker 1: And that's precisely what customer whispering is about.
• 10:17
  Speaker 1: It lasts and you get better and better at it.
• 10:20
  Speaker 1: And it's contagious.
• 10:21
  Speaker 1: The waiter used it on you, and you and your wife, your girlfriend, continued it for years and years to come.
• 10:29
  Speaker 3: Yes.
• 10:30
  Speaker 1: That is exactly what customer whispering is about.
• 10:34
  Speaker 1: But Raymond, here's the big secret.
• 10:38
  Speaker 1: Complaints are not problems.
• 10:41
  Speaker 1: They're gifts.
• 10:42
  Speaker 3: Oh.
• 10:43
  Speaker 1: I thought you might respond that way.
• 10:45
  Speaker 1: Surprise, let me explain.
• 10:47
  Speaker 1: Complaints are opportunities wrapped in frustration.
• 10:52
  Speaker 1: They tell you what's broken, what's missing, and what you can do better.
• 10:56
  Speaker 1: They come with their own built-in roadmap for improvement.
• 11:00
  Speaker 1: Some call it treasured maps.
• 11:03
  Speaker 1: Raymond, would you like me to take you on a treasure hunt?
• 11:06
  Speaker 3: Yeah.
• 11:07
  Speaker 1: I will.
• 11:08
  Speaker 1: But just before I do, let me just elaborate on one thing.
• 11:11
  Speaker 1: Not all challenges are created equal.
• 11:15
  Speaker 1: While most complaints present opportunities for service improvements, some cross the line.
• 11:23
  Speaker 1: Verbal and physical abuse, illegal behavior should never be tolerated because in a crisis, priorities shift.
• 11:32
  Speaker 1: The customer is no longer the priority.
• 11:35
  Speaker 1: Your staff and their safety become priorities.
• 11:38
  Speaker 1: So not all customers are nice and friendly.
• 11:43
  Speaker 1: There are situations that require us to shift who the customer is.
• 11:48
  Speaker 1: And in a crisis and confrontation, your staff or your team become your primary customer.
• 11:56
  Speaker 1: Their safety, their well-being, their trust, their respect comes first.
• 12:03
  Speaker 1: And the individual causing harm is no longer a customer, but a threat to your service environment.
• 12:12
  Speaker 1: So the treasure hunt, let's explore the magic wand formula.
• 12:16
  Speaker 1: Three powerful principles that can transform any interaction.
• 12:22
  Speaker 1: Listening isn't just about hearing words.
• 12:25
  Speaker 1: It's about understanding the emotions behind the words.
• 12:28
  Speaker 1: Is it fear? Is it frustration?
• 12:31
  Speaker 1: Or is it a simple miscommunication?
• 12:34
  Speaker 1: When customers complain, they're like fire alarms going off, triggering a bigger problem.
• 12:40
  Speaker 1: Don't just jump in to fix and defend them. Stop, look, and listen. And let your listening superpower turn you into a trusted advisor rather than just a problem solver.
• 12:55
  Speaker 1: Principle number two, empathy is your magic wand.
• 13:00
  Speaker 1: Every kind word, every genuine smile, every time you make someone feel that you genuinely care about them can transform any interactions.
• 13:12
  Speaker 1: And Maya Angelou said it well.
• 13:14
  Speaker 1: People don't always hear what you said or remember what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel.
• 13:22
  Speaker 1: So I say to you, Raymond, let's step into our customer whisperer role and have people walk away from every interaction feeling uplifted and inspired.
• 13:34
  Speaker 1: Principle number three, excellence begins within.
• 13:38
  Speaker 1: Excellence isn't about perfection.
• 13:41
  Speaker 1: It's about growth and connection and resilience.
• 13:45
  Speaker 1: And Raymond, think about every time you fly, you hear, put on your oxygen mask first before assisting others.
• 13:52
  Speaker 1: Why? Because you can't possibly help someone else if you're running on MT.
• 13:58
  Speaker 1: While the same is true for your team and for yourself, you can't possibly help others if you're feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, uninspired, or burnt out.
• 14:10
  Speaker 1: So prioritize health care, rest, recharge, and reflect.
• 14:16
  Speaker 1: In fact, Raymond, would you humor me and repeat this positive affirmation after me?
• 14:22
  Speaker 3: Okay.
• 14:23
  Speaker 1: I am love.
• 14:25
  Speaker 3: I am love.
• 14:27
  Speaker 1: I am loving.
• 14:28
  Speaker 3: I am loving.
• 14:30
  Speaker 1: And I am beloved.
• 14:32
  Speaker 3: And I am beloved.
• 14:34
  Speaker 1: Raymond, any affirmation, positive or negative, that you start your day off with sets the tone for the day.
• 14:43
  Speaker 1: Prioritize self-care and bring your best self to your team and your customers.
• 14:49
  Speaker 3: All right.
• 14:50
  Speaker 3: So let's draw this to a conclusion.
• 14:53
  Speaker 3: I completely agree that you are the world's best customer whisperer.
• 14:59
  Speaker 3: I never knew any of those three ways to create customer whispering.
• 15:06
  Speaker 3: I'm really, really impressed.
• 15:08
  Speaker 3: And I'm sure that your book goes way deeper into this concept.
• 15:14
  Speaker 3: So what would you like our readers to do?
• 15:16
  Speaker 3: Would you like them to go to Amazon and buy your books?
• 15:19
  Speaker 3: What would you like?
• 15:20
  Speaker 1: Raymond, my readers can connect with me on my website, thecustomerwhispererbook.com.
• 15:28
  Speaker 1: They can purchase my book on Amazon.
• 15:30
  Speaker 1: The Customer Whisperer, Turning Complaints into Compliments with a Wave of Your Wand.
• 15:37
  Speaker 3: Okay, thank you.
• 15:38
  Speaker 3: So listen, this is a command.
• 15:40
  Speaker 3: If you're in business and you want to enrich your business, you need to treat your customers, your suppliers, all your stakeholders, your family members, everybody.
• 15:52
  Speaker 3: You need to treat them the way she's talking about, like you're a customer whisperer.
• 15:57
  Speaker 3: So buy her book, The Customer Whisperer on Amazon, or go to her website.
• 16:02
  Speaker 3: Thank you.
• 16:03
  Speaker 3: Thank you, Joan.
• 16:04
  Speaker 3: You did a great job.
• 16:05
  Speaker 1: Thank you, Raymond.
• 16:09
  Speaker 4: Well, I sure hope you enjoyed that fascinating episode.
• 16:13
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• 16:19
  Speaker 4: For your information, this experience, this service, this podcast has been sponsored by
• 16:26
  Speaker 4: the Orbit Coaching Program.
• 16:28
  Speaker 4: All of my friends, all my world famous speaker friends, all have coaching programs.
• 16:33
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• 16:39
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• 16:40
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• 16:44
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• 16:50
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• 16:54
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• 16:58
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