Karan Chadda

Global digital marketing and communications leader

Own the phone

I’m not ashamed to admit that in my youth I spent some time selling credit cards in a call centre – it paid some bills, the people were nice and I learnt a lot. For two consecutive summers, that unexpected call during Corrie was me. Although not the most fun job I’ve ever had, I was actually quite good at it; easily exceeding my target of three an hour, every hour, every day…

One of the reasons I was good at it was that I quickly learned how to ‘own the phone’.

Most people make a call or answer one so they can speak to people. There’s a conversation, a back and forth. It’s a sound-based medium and people expect sound. It struck me that most awkward points in a telephone conversation aren’t when both people are trying to speak, it’s when no one is.

Silence just isn’t what you expect to happen on the phone. It’s awkward, it makes people uncomfortable and they want it to end. So how did I use this little insight to my advantage?

Well, I worked out that when I asked a question and then said nothing, the silence would build pressure. The pressure would build and build. Eventually, the other person would answer. Not because they wanted to, but because they wanted the silence to end. Once they’d answered my question, I knew they’d answer all my questions, that they’d want to avoid that awkward silence.

Now, this little trick didn’t help me persuade more people to sign up for a credit card, but it did mean that people listened to me and answered my questions. They took me seriously and I didn’t waste leads.

The flipside is true too. If you ask a question and the other person doesn’t respond, the pressure builds. If you rush in with another question or clarify your original question, then you’ve lost. Deep down, they know they don’t have to answer your questions. They don’t have to talk to you. You’ve lost that call and you have wasted a lead.

Only one person can own the phone.

Securing the last glass of wine

Generally, gluttony and greed are to be frowned upon, but once in a while you just want the last glass of wine. In such situations, a little party trick I’ve developed can come in handy.

Social convention dictates that you must offer your dining companion some wine before pouring any for yourself. If you’re channeling your inner greedy glutton, this is the moment when some intelligent use of language comes in handy.

Lifting the bottle, with a friendly tone and look of sincerity you say the words:

“You don’t want the last glass of wine, do you?”

Almost without fail, your dining partner will decline.

The trick here is that you’re planting a thought – you don’t want the last glass of wine – into your friend’s mind, then following up as if it was a question.

Thus, with social convention observed, you are left to enjoy your bounty.

Thinking about light

The two photos of Alfa Romeo badges below are actually of the same badge. They were taken just moments apart. There’s no clever editing and I did nothing to block or change the light when I took the pictures. They’re just taken from different angles.

It really made me think about how to use light.

Using light is something that Paul Sanders first taught me a couple of months ago at Cuckmere Haven. I’m know that it’s something I’m going to learning more and more about for as long as I take photos. I’ll never know enough about light.

If you have any tips, please do share them.

20120918-164617.jpg

A glorious Goodwood Revival

I was incredibly fortunate to spend Saturday at the Goodwood Revival. Saying I’m keen on cars is a bit of an understatement and being able to get so close to so many iconic vehicles was a real treat. Seeing the cars blast around the Goodwood circuit was brilliant. Being near enough to the action to grab a snap or two was a bonus.

My first decent snap was of this beautiful Stingray. Racing against Ferraris and E-Types, it held own its both in terms of performance and looks.20120915-225659.jpg

During the same race, I managed to capture this stunning Ferrari 250, one of the prettiest cars ever built, as it blazed across the track. As a child, I had a scale model of this car on a shelf in my room and I worshipped it. Seeing it race just yards away was a dream fulfilled.20120915-225711.jpg

There was also plenty to see in the sky, with a range of Spitfires, Hurricanes and other fighter planes and jets soaring, swooping and loop the looping.20120915-225725.jpg

Away from the track, I took the opportunity to wander around the paddock. I took a lot of photos here but the stand-out was this Mercedes. It’s louvred bonnet vents, big emblem and aggressive ‘V’ nose harks back to a time before aerodynamics, when performance came down to engine size; from the size of the bonnet, it’s a sure bet this particular car was a supercar in its day.20120915-225742.jpg

Elsewhere in the paddock was this beautiful 1950s Aston Martin racer. The badge references David Brown, who owned the firm during its 50s and 60s glory days. His initials are still used today in the names of the brand’s grand tourers.20120915-225753.jpg

Back on track there were some less exotic, but no less aggressively driven cars strutting their stuff. This chirpy Renault 4CV caught my eye with its bright blue paintwork, heavy revving and surprisingly strong performance, as it fought to keep up with bigger Jaguars and more powerful BMWs.20120915-225809.jpg

For me, the big race on Saturday was all about Cobras. These two-seaters are iconic for their wonderful design (made by AC cars of Thames Ditton fame) and, after some tweaking from American motor legend Carroll Shelby, the monstrous Ford V8s under the hood.

20120915-225821.jpg

Over the road, by the fairground, there were lots of classic cars for sale. My favourite was this Series One Range Rover, which has the rather snazzy chassis number: 007. The Series One is the original Range Rover. It has only two doors, despite its considerable size. It was considered so attractive when it was launched in 1970 that one was exhibited in the Louvre in Paris, France, in the early 1970s. All in all, it was a truly glorious day.

20120915-225830.jpg