From Boring to Brilliant: Raising Energy on Virtual Calls | Episode 21

Beyond Christmas: Managing the Holidays on Global Teams | Episode 24

This podcast is sponsored by Supportman, which connects Intercom to Slack and uses AI to give agents feedback and surface problems in real time. The holidays don’t look the same for everyone. Some teams shut down for a week, while support teams have to keep the queue moving. On global teams, there are even more calendars to juggle, and not everyone experiences this season as joyful. In this episode, Jen talks with Kathy Fava [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleenfava/], an experienced support leader with practical ideas for navigating December. They cover how to ask your team what they actually observe, offer flexible schedules without dropping coverage, watch for burnout (including your own), and give back with no budget at all. They also explore how to approach holidays like Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Yule, Las Posadas, Blue Christmas, and more with curiosity and respect. Highlights from our conversation: ✔️ Start with conversations: ask what holidays your team observes and what support they need  ✔️ Offer flexibility without breaking coverage through opt-in shifts, swaps, and comp time  ✔️ Watch for burnout, including your own, and rebalance workloads with quick 1:1s  ✔️ Give back without a budget: handwritten notes, opt-out cards, or flexible schedules  ✔️ Be mindful of holiday grief: skip mandatory fun and offer simple recognition instead Whether you’re planning shifts over Christmas week, balancing cultural inclusion, or figuring out how to show gratitude without a budget, this episode is a timely guide for support and CX leaders. Resources: 🤝 Connect with Kathleen (Kathy) Fava on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleenfava/] 📬 Get weekly tactical CX and Support Ops tips in our Support Leaders Newsletter [https://newsletter.supportman.io/]🎙 Listen to more episodes of Live Chat with Jen Weaver  [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2433498] Sponsors: 🔧 Learn more about Supportman  [http://supportman.io/?utm_source=lcwjw] Keep in Touch: 💼 Connect with Jen Weaver on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-weaver/]📺 Subscribe for more CX leadership insights on YouTube [https://bit.ly/46Qpn0a]

Coach Rios’ Support Report Gets Value from Customer Noise | Episode 23

This podcast is sponsored by Supportman [http://supportman.io/?utm_source=lcwjw], which connects Intercom to Slack and uses AI to give agents feedback and surface problems in real time. What does it take to turn everyday customer conversations into insights that guide the whole business? In this episode of Live Chat with Jen Weaver, I sit down with Andrew “Coach” Rios [http://linkedin.com/in/riosa/], a veteran support operations leader with more than 25 years of experience at startups, scaleups, and Fortune 100s. From Cisco to Fitbit, Coach Rios has built support reports that don’t just capture numbers, they tell the story of what’s really happening with your customers and your company. Highlights from our conversation: ✔️ Resetting on Sunday to scan chats and set Monday priorities ✔️ Building a lightweight support report that tracks who called, why, and what you did ✔️ Sharing reports with purpose: team first, then your boss, then the wider org ✔️ Framing every number with the six W’s: who, what, when, where, why, and what’s next ✔️ Modeling healthy communication to keep teams focused and balanced ✔️ Blending reflection with motion through walk-and-talks and Friday wins ✔️ Choosing progress over polish by shipping early drafts and iterating later If you’re a support or CX leader, this chat will give you practical steps you can actually use to keep your team motivated and make your reports resonate across the company. Resources: 🤝 Connect with Andrew “Coach” Rios on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/riosa/] 📬 Get weekly tactical CX and Support Ops tips in our Support Leaders Newsletter [https://newsletter.supportman.io/] 🎙 Listen to more episodes of Live Chat with Jen Weaver  [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2433498] Sponsors: 🔧 Learn more about Supportman  [http://supportman.io/?utm_source=lcwjw] Keep in Touch: 💼 Connect with Jen Weaver on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-weaver/]📺 Subscribe for more CX leadership insights on YouTube [https://bit.ly/46Qpn0a]

Leading Through Layoffs: Building Teams When Budgets Shrink | Episode 22

This podcast is sponsored by Supportman [http://supportman.io/?utm_source=lcwjw], which connects Intercom to Slack and uses AI to give agents feedback and surface problems in real time. What happens when budgets shrink, layoffs ripple across the industry, and leaders are asked to do more with less?  This week on Live Chat, I sat down with  Alisha Joseph [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alijoseph/], founder of Savvy Service Pro [https://www.linkedin.com/company/savvy-service-pro/] and creator of the upcoming AI coaching tool Savvy Edge, to discuss how leaders can navigate change while remaining authentic. Here’s what you’ll take away from this conversation: * How to strike a balance between a demanding W2 job, consulting, and family caregiving * Why treating everyone the same is a leadership mistake * How to plan for risk, not just deadlines * How to use AI for framing without losing authenticity * Building your career as a personal brand to safeguard against layoffs Whether you’re leading through layoffs, exploring how AI can support leadership development, or figuring out how to show up on LinkedIn, Alisha offers actionable strategies for supporting leaders at every stage. Resources: 🤝 Connect with Alisha Joseph on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alijoseph/] 🏢 Learn more about Savvy Service Pro on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alijoseph/] 📬 Get weekly tactical CX and Support Ops tips in our Support Leaders Newsletter [https://newsletter.supportman.io/] 🎙 Listen to more episodes of Live Chat with Jen Weaver  [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2433498] Sponsors: 🔧 Learn more about Supportman  [http://supportman.io/?utm_source=lcwjw] Keep in Touch: 💼 Connect with Jen Weaver on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-weaver/]📺 Subscribe for more CX leadership insights on YouTube [https://bit.ly/46Qpn0a]

From Boring to Brilliant: Raising Energy on Virtual Calls | Episode 21

This podcast is sponsored by Supportman [http://supportman.io/?utm_source=lcwjw] which connects Intercom to Slack and uses AI to give agents feedback and surface problems in real time. Ever leave a virtual meeting wondering why it felt flat, even though the content was solid? In this episode, I’m joined by Anders Boulanger [https://www.linkedin.com/in/andersboulanger/?originalSubdomain=ca], founder and CEO of Engagify [https://www.linkedin.com/company/getengagify/posts/?feedView=all] and author of Engage First [https://a.co/dPNe5c7] (coming October 7). Anders is a magician-turned-keynote speaker who helps leaders turn everyday interactions into engaging experiences. After devouring the book on a plane, I could not wait to dig in with him. In this episode, we cover: 1. Practical ways to raise your energy on camera so you connect instead of disappearing 2. How props and humor can bring a team together 3. When to move a conversation from chat to video or in-person 4. The SAVE U framework for keeping teams engaged 5. A simple “you vs. me” ratio check that shows who you’re prioritizing If you manage a team, this conversation will give you tools to make your meetings more memorable and keep your people engaged for the long run. Resources: 🤝 Connect with Anders Boulanger on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/andersboulanger] 🏢 Follow Engagify on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/getengagify/posts/?feedView=all] 📖 Pre-order Engage First on Amazon [https://a.co/dPNe5c7] 📬 Get weekly tactical CX and Support Ops tips in our Support Leaders Newsletter [https://newsletter.supportman.io/] 🎙 Listen to more episodes of Live Chat with Jen Weaver  [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2433498] Sponsors: 🔧 Learn more about Supportman  [http://supportman.io/?utm_source=lcwjw] Keep in Touch: 💼 Connect with Jen Weaver on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-weaver/] 📺 Subscribe for more CX leadership insights on YouTube [https://bit.ly/46Qpn0a]

Conquer QA Overwhelm with Stacy’s Fearless Ten-Ticket Method | Episode 20

This podcast is sponsored by Supportman [http://supportman.io/?utm_source=lcwjw], which connects Intercom to Slack and uses AI to give agents feedback and surface problems in real time. “Consistent quality review, I think, is better than no quality review.”  That’s the principle that guided Stacy Justino, Product Support Manager at PetDesk, when she launched a brand-new QA program for veterinary support in just weeks. Drawing from her experience at companies like Wistia and Loom, Stacy created a lightweight system her team actually enjoys and that she can sustain over time. In this episode, we cover: 1. Why ten interactions and two reviews each month provide just the right amount of feedback without overwhelming the team. 2. How to select tickets that are random, recent, and representative so reviews reflect real work. 3. The four pillars of Stacy’s rubric—accuracy, completeness, customer excellence, and empathy—and why they matter. 4. How private coaching helps agents grow while public kudos reinforce team culture. 5. When and how to scale QA up or down depending on changes in performance, products, or processes. If QA has ever felt overwhelming, Stacy’s fearless ten-ticket method shows how to keep things simple, fair, and effective. For more resources related to today’s episode: 📩 Get weekly tactical CX and Support Ops tips → https://live-chat-with-jen.beehiiv.com/ [https://live-chat-with-jen.beehiiv.com/] ▶ Keep listening → https://www.buzzsprout.com/2433498 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2433498] 💼 Connect with your host, Jen Weaver, on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-weaver/] 🤝 Connect with Stacy Justino on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacyjustino/] 🔧 Learn more about our sponsor Supportman → https://supportman.io [http://supportman.io/?utm_source=lcwjw] Chapters: 0:00 – Intro: Consistent quality review in support   2:27 – Meet Stacy Justino: Product Support Manager at PetDesk   5:05 – A week in the life of a support leader   8:41 – Ten interactions and two reviews each month   13:41 – Random, recent, and representative ticket picks   19:00 – Building a concise rubric to define quality   22:11 – Private coaching paired with public kudos   24:12 – QA only what you need to review   30:36 – Key takeaways for support leaders