Really Listen to the Customer
Listening to what someone has to say can be one of the most difficult and challenging aspects of communications. There are just so many things that can interfere with really hearing what the customer is trying to say. One of these obstacles might be our own expectations of what we want the customer to say. In other words, you hear what you expect to hear, not necessarily what the customer really meant. This can cause serious relationship problems between you and your customers. There can be huge differences between what your customers said, what they meant, and what you heard. The following is an example of the Said-Meant-Heard phenomenon that often occurs when communicating with customers:
What the customer said:
We don’t have the money in our budget to buy from you at this time.
What the customer meant:
Your price is too high. You need to find a way to provide your product/service at a lower price or some other creative way to meet our price objectives.
What was heard:
There is nothing that can be done to change this situation once the customer’s budget has been set. The sale is lost.
What are some examples you may have experienced with your customers concerning Said-Meant-Heard?
What the customer said:
What the customer meant:
What was heard: