Hal Becker (born 1954) is an American author and nationally known expert on the subjects of

sales Sales are activities related to selling or the number of goods sold in a given targeted time period. The delivery of a service for a cost is also considered a sale. A period during which goods are sold for a reduced price may also be referred ...

customer service Customer service is the assistance and advice provided by a company to those who buy or use its products or services, either in person or remotely. Customer service is often practiced in a way that reflects the strategies and values of a firm, and ...

and

negotiating Negotiation is a dialogue between two or more parties to resolve points of difference, gain an advantage for an individual or collective, or craft outcomes to satisfy various interests. The parties aspire to agree on matters of mutual inter ...

. He conducts seminars or provides consultations to more than 140 organizations a yea

including,

IBM International Business Machines Corporation (using the trademark IBM), nicknamed Big Blue, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational technology company headquartered in Armonk, New York, and present in over 175 countries. It is ...

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...

New York Life New York Life Insurance Company (NYLIC) is the third-largest life insurance company and the largest mutual life insurance company in the United States, and is ranked #69 on the 2025 Fortune 500 list of the largest U.S. corporations by total rev ...

United Airlines United Airlines, Inc. is a Major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Chicago, Chicago, Illinois that operates an extensive domestic and international route network across the United States and six ...

Verizon Verizon Communications Inc. ( ), is an American telecommunications company headquartered in New York City. It is the world's second-largest telecommunications company by revenue and its mobile network is the largest wireless carrier in the ...

Terminix Terminix International Company, L.P. is one of the largest pest control companies in the world, operating in 47 states in the United States and 70+ countries around the world. It is a subsidiary of UK-based Rentokil Initial. History In 1927, E. ...

AT&T AT&T Inc., an abbreviation for its predecessor's former name, the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, is an American multinational telecommunications holding company headquartered at Whitacre Tower in Downtown Dallas, Texas. It is the w ...

Pearle Vision Pearle Vision is an American chain of eye care stores. It is one of the largest franchised optical retailers in North America. The company was acquired by Luxottica (which has since merged with Essilor to form EssilorLuxottica), an Italian eyewe ...

and

Cintas Cintas Corporation () is an American corporation headquartered in Mason, Ohio which provides a range of products and services to businesses including uniforms, mats, mops, cleaning and restroom supplies, first aid and safety products, fire ex ...

. His best known books are '' Can I Have 5 Minutes Of Your Time?'', ''Lip Service'' and ''Hal Becker's Ultimate Sales Book, A Revolutionary Training Manual Guaranteed to Improve Your Skills and Inflate Your Net Worth''.

Education

Becker graduated from

Cleveland Heights High School Cleveland Heights High School is the senior high school of the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District, located in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, United States. History Cleveland Heights High School was established in 1901 by the ...

in 1972. In 1993, he was inducted into the Heights Hall of Fame with ten other former graduates. From

John Carroll University John Carroll University (JCU) is a Private university, private Jesuit university in University Heights, Ohio, United States. Located in a suburb of Cleveland, it is primarily an undergraduate, liberal arts college, liberal arts institution compo ...

, Becker earned a bachelor's degree in

sociology Sociology is the scientific study of human society that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of Interpersonal ties, social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. The term sociol ...

in 1976. At John Carroll, he worked as the union director of special events, booking concerts on campus. He has also been recognized as one of 24 notable alumni of JCU.

Career

In 1977, at the age of 22, Becker was named the #1 salesperson among a national sales force of 11,000 at

Xerox Corporation Xerox Holdings Corporation (, ) is an American corporation that sells print and digital document products and services in more than 160 countries. Xerox was the pioneer of the photocopier market, beginning with the introduction of the Xerox ...

. In 1983, he launched one of America's first customer service

telemarketing Telemarketing (sometimes known as inside sales, or telesales in the UK and Ireland) is a method of direct marketing in which a salesperson solicits prospective customers to buy products, subscriptions or services, either over the phone or throu ...

firms called Direct Opinions. That same year he was diagnosed with and survived cancer. In 1990, he sold Direct Opinions to devote time to consulting and presenting lectures around the world. Becker is a syndicated writer in 46 business journal newspapers nationwide. He is a past chairman of Better Business Bureau Serving Greater Cleveland and the Solon Chamber of Commerce, and has also sat on boards including

Better Business Bureau The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is an American private, 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization founded in 1912. BBB's self-described mission is to focus on advancing marketplace trust, consisting of 92 independently incorporated local BBB organizati ...

March of Dimes March of Dimes is a United States nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies. The organization was founded by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1938, as the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, to co ...

, COSE,

University of Akron The University of Akron is a public university, public research university in Akron, Ohio, United States. It is part of the University System of Ohio. As a STEM fields, STEM-focused institution, it focuses on industries such as polymers, advance ...

Business School, Cleveland Health Museum/Natural History Museum, Healthy Cities Ohio, Sales & Marketing Executives and Montefiore Nursing Home, and the Chagrin Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Publications

*'' Can I Have 5 Minutes of Your Time?: A No Nonsense Fun Approach to Sales'' by Hal Becker and Florence Mustric (1993) *''At Your Service: Calamities, Catastrophes, and Other Curiosities of Customer Service'' by Hal B. Becker (1998) *''Lip Service: 50 Humorous Stories of the Worst Customer Service in America and Interviews with the 10 Best Companies in the World'' by Hal B. Becker (2001) *''Get What You Want!! A Fun, Upbeat and Fresh Approach to Negotiating'' by Hal B. Becker, Jon Lief, and Florence Mustric (2004) *''Hal Becker's Ultimate Sales Book, A Revolutionary Training Manual Guaranteed to Improve Your Skills and Inflate Your Net Worth'' by Hal B. Becker (2012)

Awards and honors

* 1977 #1 salesperson among a national sales force of 11,000 at

Xerox Xerox Holdings Corporation (, ) is an American corporation that sells print and electronic document, digital document products and services in more than 160 countries. Xerox was the pioneer of the photocopier market, beginning with the introduc ...

* 1994

Heights High School Heights High School, formerly John H. Reagan High School, is a senior high school located in the Houston Heights in Houston, Texas. It serves students in grades nine through twelve and is a part of the Houston Independent School District. Hei ...

Hall of Fame inductee * 2000

Toastmasters International Toastmasters International (TI) is a US-headquartered nonprofit educational organization that operates clubs worldwide for the purpose of helping people develop communication, public speaking, and leadership skills. History On 24 March 1905, Dr ...

Communication and Leadership Award * 2002

National Speakers Association The National Speakers Association (NSA) is a US based association that supports motivational speaking, motivational and other public speakers. It is the oldest and largest of 13 international associations comprising the Global Speakers Federation ...

CSP Award * 2004 The Distinguished Marketing and Sales Awards (DMSA)

Education

Career

Publications

Awards and honors

References

External links