3 Strategies for Truly Listening to Your Customers

Do you have a person in your life who really does an exceptional job at consistently listening to you?

Think of how much you look forward to being with them. They almost always get the message. And when they don’t, they ask questions until they do.

You can literally feel their genuine concern as you talk. If only everyone in your life were that way!

Your customers are no different. They want great listeners. And the better your customer service team listens, the more your customers trust and stay with you, rather than moving on to your competition.

So here’s some steps for teaching your customer service team to truly listen:

1. Create a Safe, Judgment-Free Zone that Fosters Trust

When you make this atmosphere, customers share immediately what’s on their mind so you get to the heart of their matter fast. You may also pick up on other information that cues you into other ways you can improve your business so your customers remain more loyal.

No question your customer asks is stupid. Don’t meet any remark they make with defensiveness.

Just listen.

Respond with questions to make sure you get the message.

Then watch your customers calm down.

2. Seek to Understand

To create a truly exceptional customer service experience, you must only seek to really get what’s going on with your customers.

Assume the best about your customer. If they’re angry, put yourself in their shoes. They’ve had a long day and something isn’t going quite right. Maybe they have an overwhelming amount of stress going on in their personal lives.

Here, we’re getting at the fact that you shouldn’t just seek to “get the message.” Rather, “feel the message.”

When you truly come as close to experiencing your customer’s thoughts and emotions as possible, the desire to take action and help will come naturally.

And they’ll instinctually respond with calmer, more cooperative attitudes.

3. Stay Calm and Never Interrupt

Yes. You have an intense workload. It’s stressful. And it makes it tempting for you to speak fast and get your customer a resolution as quickly as possible.

While the outcome may end up okay, this gives your customers a negative vibe during the experience.

If they get the impression you’re in a hurry, they feel like just another number to be dealt with.

And interrupting? That really hurts the relationship. Suddenly, your customer feels dominated and not listened to. And that sets the ground for a potentially highly negative experience.

You should come across as calm, and perhaps even a tad slow to respond. This keeps potentially turbulent emotions in check. And it sets the foundation for a smooth and easy customer service experience.

Leaving customers with the impression that your team truly listens and cares is no easy thing.

But with practicing, tracking your metrics, and systematic improvement, you’ll get to the point where your customer service team becomes a true revenue center.