{"id":202,"date":"2015-04-26T17:20:57","date_gmt":"2015-04-26T17:20:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.customerservicemanager.com\/csm210469\/?p=202"},"modified":"2016-05-11T13:34:35","modified_gmt":"2016-05-11T13:34:35","slug":"are-you-hearing-your-customers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.customerservicemanager.com\/are-you-hearing-your-customers\/","title":{"rendered":"Are You Hearing Your Customers?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Communication is a remarkable occurrence. Could any business survive without it?<\/strong><\/p>\n\"Customer\n

As owners or representatives of an enterprise, we spend countless hours, funds and energy to be heard, to craft our messages, policies and behavior in a way that will truly express our intent.<\/p>\n

Many will tell you communication is a 2-way street: you say your piece and then they say theirs. I think there\u2019s a crucial 3rd step..<\/p>\n

1 – You craft a message and distribute it through appropriate venues \u2013 sales people, advertising media, website, sponsored events, service statements & policies. (This is expression)<\/p>\n

2 \u2013 Your message is received \u2013 or maybe \u2018a\u2019 message is received; could be it\u2019s not the message you were delivering. (This is comprehension \u2013 or not; who knows?)<\/p>\n

3 \u2013 Your customers and prospects respond to what they believe they heard (not necessarily what you intended) which might be no response at all. And this is where they show if they \u2018get\u2019 you, if you truly communicated.<\/p>\n

With these 3 steps in mind, this is how I see communication working: Expression + Comprehension = Communication. Without keeping track of that middle step \u2013what they actually received and comprehended – you may never understand what happened to step 1 and what prompted step 3.<\/p>\n

How can you ensure your ‘tracking service’ is on? Keep communication open to always hear your customers. Don\u2019t just send messages; encourage theirs, as well. Their feedback and comments have a fundamental impact on how we run our business, develop policies or create product. These messages, when heard, provide the tweaking process that allows us to always respond to changes in our marketplace.<\/p>\n

If yours is the kind of business that has easy access to clientele \u2013 a retail establishment, a service or medical professional, an enterprise with sales people, or an organization with frequent membership meetings \u2013 first-hand exposure to your customers is built into the way you do business. In this situation, not only can you converse, one-on-one, but you can literally \u2018see\u2019 how they perceive you through the body language they exhibit when in your company. When speaking with customers, look and listen; they may be communicating through some classic body language:<\/p>\n