Now, more than ever, it really pays to listen to your clients. It sounds obvious in the business world but in an unfavourable economy, this goes way beyond simply getting feedback on how they perceive your service or the work you have completed. Client listening is now becoming more important than client feedback, as it encapsulates the whole client experience and how your clients are feeling.
Your clients want to be heard now more than ever
The harsh truth is that right now we are in a recession. Different parts of the world are experiencing it to different degrees but whatever market you operate in, there is a high chance that some of your clients will be affected. This really does have an impact on their thoughts and feelings. Right now, they are desperately searching for people to listen to them and give them the breathing space to air their worries and concerns.
In short, being empathetic with your clients and actively listening to them has never been more important. To help with that, below are some ways to help you listen more effectively.
The 6 Impactful ways to listen to your clients
1. Embrace silence
“You say it best, when you say nothing at all”
Ronan Keating.
The best way to listen to your client is to simply listen to your client. Which does sound easy, but for many - is hard to do. This is particularly true of those experts who want to share their knowledge or have an inbuilt need to solve problems. If your client, or in fact any person is facing difficulties or going through a tough time, the best thing you can do is listen.
Silence can be a really powerful tool. I’ve found over the years when getting feedback from clients, be that on a service, or a bid submission, when a person appears to have finished answering if I remain silent for a short period, they will quite often provide more detail. This second part of their answer tends to be the most important information.
It is also a good idea to show you have heard without offering a solution. Phrases like “that does sound tricky,” or ‘that must be stressful,” show you are listening. Try and avoid solving. As the clip below shows it’s not about the nail!
2. Embrace talking outside of your areas of expertise
Understanding a person’s real problems or challenges requires being open to letting them share any area of concern. Your clients will have needs outside of the service you provide, and it is important you understand and listen to them.
This has the advantage of meaning you are less likely to try and solve the issue as you probably can’t. It also means if they do want help with the issue raised, you can of course refer them to someone who can.
3. Ask Open and Engaging Questions
Asking open and engaging questions is a key skill for successful client listening and demonstrating empathy. This means asking questions that encourage the other person to open up and share their thoughts and ideas. This not only helps to build rapport and trust but also provides valuable insights into your client’s business.
How often do you ask a client about what else is important to them, outside of the work you are doing with them? It’s a simple question but all too often is overlooked. Asking this in all future meetings will really demonstrate that you do listen to your clients.
4. But… Try not to
That’s right, try and avoid interruptions. I’m not sure there is a person on this planet that likes being interrupted.
“There cannot be greater rudeness than to interrupt another in the current of his discourse.”
John Locke
This is again around embracing silence, and giving a pause before someone finishes speaking and you start. Some people breathe and pause more between sentences as a way of gathering their thoughts. On a video call this needs to be a longer pause and as we all know is much harder to do, whist still maintaining a conversation flow.
5. Avoid playing war stories trumps
If a client tells you a story or confides in you, immediately saying that this has happened to you too, but it was even worse - is not the way to go. It does the opposite of what you’re trying to achieve in sharing a story. It is in many ways belittling their issues.
The best way to describe it is - don’t be the person who immediately responds to every story in a conversation with another one even more dramatic or even bigger. That does the opposite of building empathy and a good relationship - it leads to people avoiding you in the long term.
However, we do relate well to and understand stories. So, it is ok to occasionally share a story, however there are some clear provisos. Share the story as long as it lets the other person know that they are not alone in experiencing these issues and feeling this way. Show empathy - not one-upmanship. If done right, they will probably ask how you resolved it. It’s good to share a story, it’s just all about the tone, the manner in which you share it, and the frequency. As in many things less is more.
6. Respond to what the other person’s saying
Client meetings and conversations can be tough. Most people go into them with their own agenda. Most people in professional services and the consultancy world want to demonstrate their expertise and sell their services. That objective is at odds with simply listening. So, changing your mindset to one of being curious and seeking to listen to your client is key. Learning about the other person should be your main objective.
“Be curious, not judgmental.”
Walt Whitman
Conclusion – how to listen to your clients effectively
It is always important to listen to your clients and to demonstrate that you have. Following the steps above will help you to do that. Depending on the situation and what was discussed a follow-up note with a brief recap of the conversation could also be a good idea.
While it may seem that being curious and being less deal-focused in meetings is a slower process, in most cases it produces a better and longer ROI from the relationship.
