Customer for Life: Asking & Listening

It is impossible to overstate the importance of building strong Customer relationships. People are more likely to do business with someone they trust. To build that trust, the two most important skills for the Customer for Life disciple are asking and listening.

WHAT TO ASK

• How do I make you a Customer for Life? 
• What will make you a hero to your boss? 
• What will make you a hero to your direct reports? 
• What will make your life easier? 
• What will get you home sooner every day? 
• What will take away your biggest worry? 
• What will reduce the amount of manual work that you have to do? 
• Do you prepare reports? What do you do with them? How are they used, and by whom? 
• What is your favorite part of your job? 
• What is your least favorite part of your job? 

LISTEN

• Listen until the Customer is done talking. 
• Listen to understand - not to respond. 
• Through listening, figure out what your Customer is really asking for. What is their true need? 
• Customer complaints are a good thing, because they give us the opportunity to repair and even improve our relationship with our Customer. Most Customers who have complaints never voice them at all. They simply leave. 
• Never say ‘No’. Instead, repeat the issue back to the Customer to let them know that you have heard and understood them. 
• Do not Guess, Assume, or Speculate. FIND OUT. Eliminate GAS. 
• Question everything. (Once. Then move on.) 
• Don’t tell the Customer what you are going to do. Offer them choices, explain how each may meet their needs, and let them give their approval.