The Phone Lady charges R8k/hour to overcome phone phobia
Who knew there was a market for this sort of thing?!
People have their strengths and weaknesses, so it comes as no surprise that sometimes what may seem like a bizarre fear to us, is quite a big deal for others.
One such fear that has garnered some attention of late is phone phobia. In short, it refers to having a fear of making or taking phone calls.
Since we live in the smartphone era, many Gen Z workers were not around for the predominantly phone call era.
Which has translated into a phone phobia generation.
Mary Jane Copps saw the rise in phone phobia some 16 years ago and decided to fill the gap in the market.
She set up a company called The Phone Lady Consultancy and started helping companies improve their phone etiquette with their staff.
"Gen Z have never had the skills given to them," she told Insider. "In my generation, the phone was on the wall in everyone's house and we were taught to answer it and make calls at a young age." (Business Insider)
For more from East Coast Radio
"Copps charges $480 (R8,165) an hour for one-on-one coaching and $365 (R6,200) for 30-minute webinars as part of a seven-part program. For corporate workshops, the daily rate is $3,500 (R59,460)." (Business Insider)
The first thing she does when consulting is figure out why the individual is anxious about phone calls.
Copps told Business Insider: "A common fear is 'what if someone asks me a question and I don't know the answer'," she said. "I often say 'for the next three days, I don't want you to text anyone', and tell them to call their friends and family."
Most of her clients are not even comfortable speaking to their mothers on the phone, so she eases them into the process through role-play.
Copps says that sharing in phone conversations helps "express interest and enthusiasm", things that you cannot really take away from an email or text.
Therefore the importance of speaking on the phone, especially for workers, is crucial.
Image Courtesy of Pexels