First, let’s just get this out of the way. This is not a post about what listening is, or how to do it. This is simply about why you should, and why some people don’t.
The question which needs to be answered before going any further is this: Do you care what your customers think?
This is, hopefully, a rhetorical question, however, it seems that far too many companies simply don’t care anymore. They might say they do, but their actions tell a different story.
Hopefully, you care. You should. If you hope to have success in today’s trust-fueled thank-you economy, you need to.
Traditionally, businesses use comment cards, or surveys to obtain feedback. These are still widely used, with success. Through the ubiquity of smart phones, and sharing through social media outlets, the comment cards have become real-time.
Visitors are posting to Facebook, or Twitter, or sharing photos while they are using your product, visiting your location or making plans.
By making use of simple listening tools, you create an opportunity to answer questions, share information, or simply say “thanks for stopping in”. Your customers have choices now more than ever, and they will be spending their money with those businesses which value them and listen.
Why Some Don’t Listen
“I don’t know how”
A common way to rationalize not listening, is not knowing what to do. While often an accurate statement, it is not a legit excuse. Folks, Google can be your friend. It can teach you how to juggle or tell you how to raise a pet monkey. It can also help you find lots of useful information on how to listen.
“I don’t have time”
Fact is, none of us have enough time. For anything. I’m not sure if we are busier, or if the time-space continuum kicked it into overdrive. Either way, we know, you don’t have time. That being said, you need to make time.
Remember way back when? I call it P.E. No, I’m not meaning the class where nerds got drilled with screaming-fast dodge balls (sorry if that was you…getting drilled). I am meaning Pre-Email. When email became a standard part of daily business, you didn’t have time for that either. But you made time, and eventually it became part of your daily routine. Same thing needs to happen here. Make time. Listen.
These are just two, I’d love to hear some more. However, I’d really love to hear about how you are integrating listening.
