Quick: Can you tell me the difference between “hearing your customers” and “listening to your customers”?
Hearing implies a passive role, while listening intones an active participation as part of a dialog.
When you take the time to listen to your customers wants and needs, then you create the foundation to build the relationship deeper and richer … which leads to increasing the life-time value of those customers to your business.
Actively create a dialog with your customers to make sure your business continues to grow and continues to meet and exceed your customer’s needs.
How do you create such a dialog?
Use a “Customer Suggestions” box. Conduct a survey. Make it part of your employee’s basic daily customer interactions. Use the customer’s receipt to drive them online to fill out a survey and enter a drawing for a chance to win a reward. Ask some of your most valued customers to become part of your advisory board and offer the members of that board a special discount for participating. Get involved with Social Media and listen to what your customers are saying about you and your company.
Three keys to listening properly are:
1. Actually listen. Don’t start thinking of your response. Don’t start thinking of solutions. Simply listen.
2. Repeat. Repeat back what you’ve listened to and insure that is what the customer was trying to communicate.
3. Clarify. Ask open-ended questions to get to the heart of the matter and after you’ve offered a solution to insure it satisfies the situation. Use the age-old staple questions: Who, What, When, Where and How.
Now get out there and communicate with your customers!
Open your ears, clear your mind … and listen.
