Day 24: Listen Beyond The Silence

Posted November 24, 2010

I have to start with a confession. I am a die-hard coffee drinker, and I start 5 out of every 7 mornings with a nonfat latte. My latte addiction dates back to 2003. So in the last seven years, I guesstimate I’ve drank something like 1800 lattes. (ahem- thank goodness this isn’t a post about being fiscally responsible!) Consider it safe to say, I am a latte expert. So the moment I pick up my cup, I can tell immediately by the weight of the cup if the barista shorted the milk in the drink. This error irks me every time, especially when I’m paying almost $4 for a cup of coffee (and need every drop to function properly). Over the last year or so, I’ve noticed that the error has been occurring with alarming frequency.

Taking matters into my own hands

Nine times out of ten, when this happens I’ll ask the barista to remake the drink. Although I’ve never had an issue, I have received more than my fair share of “looks” when I ask. Every once in a while though, I’m in a hurry or I don’t want to bother with it. So I don’t. I walk away knowing what I received isn’t right, and then I get crabby.

About a month ago, I added a “no-foam” request to my drink order in an attempt to help the barista out. But when it happened to me again earlier this week despite my precautions and I was ready to walk away frustrated yet again, I had a revelation:

How many times have my customers walked away unhappy and didn’t tell me about it?

Think about it. How many times have you placed an order at a restaurant that came out wrong, and you didn’t send it back? How many times has a store employee asked you if they could help you find something, and you declined but left the store without finding what you needed? How many times have you ordered something online, received it and didn’t like it, but didn’t send it back?

Why wouldn’t you tell someone?

After watching this phenomena happen with family and friends over the years, and having them shush me when I’ve tried to say something on their behalf, I’ve developed a theory that we don’t say anything because: a) we want people to like us, and b) we don’t want to be perceived as complainers. So instead, we put our heads down, suck it up, and go on our way.

My challenge to you with Customer Love is to think about ways to tap into those customers who wouldn’t normally tell you that they are unhappy. We need them to talk to us, because if we don’t have the opportunity to fix our mistakes, there is a good chance they will never come back.

Getting the reluctant to talk

This is really the hard part, because these customers don’t like being proactive. They just want their product or service to meet their expectations and that’s it. They don’t want to cause waves or risk confrontation. So it’s up to us to do the heavy lifting and try to start the dialogue. The easiest way to get them to talk to you is to ask them questions like:

Is the product you recently purchased meeting your expectations?
Is there anything else I can do to help you?
Do you have any questions or concerns that I can address?

Use the Like/Room-for-Improvement Approach

This is one of my favorite techniques for getting intel on what my clients are thinking. I’ve found it works best if done in person, but over the phone or via email can work too. Ask first what they liked about your product, process, or experience. Most people like making other people feel good (it makes them feel good in return) so it’s easy for them to share to share a positive nugget or two.

After they are warmed up and the warm fuzzies are in the air, ask this follow-up question in the friendliest tone possible:

“What are one or two things I could have done to make it better for you?”

If you show that you are open to feedback and are genuinely looking for ways to make the experience better, most people will share a constructive point or two. Don’t try to defend any of the things that may be mentioned. Just take notes, and thank them profusely for sharing. Realize it’s a hard thing for them to do, especially if they have an established relationship with you.

Show social proof of your openness to feedback

If you change something about your product or service based on customer feedback in a positive and impactful way, don’t be afraid to say so publicly, or even give that specific customer a shout-out. This serves two purposes: it shows the customer who gave you feedback that you took it seriously and found it valuable, and it shows other customers that you are amenable to feedback. It encourages future open dialogue.

It’s important to remember that the customers who actively engage with you are a small percentage of the overall group of customers that you touch. Those people are outliers, and we love them all the more because they make us feel needed and valuable. But it is just as important to engage the silent majority. Serve them well, and your customer satisfaction will soar!

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