Listen Closely to Your Customers and Reply Well

Are You Tuned in and Listening to Your Customers?

Employees often struggle to listen effectively, especially when they’re anxious about a call or facing something new. This can lead them to talk more than they should, missing the customer’s opening question entirely. As a result, they may end up asking questions they’ve already received answers to, simply because they weren’t truly paying attention.

Listening is more than just hearing words; it requires understanding the speaker’s tone and recognizing signs of frustration. Additionally, employees need to step into a counselor role, as callers frequently reach out for help with various issues in their lives. These could range from personal challenges, like the death of a family member or a divorce, to urgent practical problems, such as a leaking pipe that needs immediate attention. Each situation calls for a responsive and attentive approach.

Show Active Empathy

At SkilCheck, we conduct hundreds of telephone mystery shops each month, and we often encounter a variety of customer experiences. Many customers are navigating difficult situations, such as divorce or the death of a loved one. It’s essential to acknowledge these challenges when interacting with customers. Expressing empathy, like saying, “I’m so sorry to hear that,” helps to minimize any distance in the conversation. By showing sympathy for their struggles, we can create a stronger connection. Furthermore, actively listening to the stress in their voices allows us to better understand their needs and feelings.

Want the Sale?  Listen!

Sometimes, employees become overwhelmed by their tasks, feeling pressured to complete a long list of steps. They focus on controlling the call, but often customers take the lead instead. It can be challenging to work with this dynamic, especially when a customer is in a hurry and just wants a quick answer.  I liken this to fishing; if you don’t hook the fish properly, it can slip away easily. Similarly, if you don’t listen to your customers, you won’t be able to engage them effectively. It’s essential to create a dialogue where you not only speak but also listen to understand their needs. This approach makes the interaction more personal and meaningful.

Are You Connecting with the Customer or Just Going Through a Checklist?

It all comes down to the connection and being personable—truly caring about what the customer needs. Many customers truly have a life issue they are trying to solve. They clearly express that they’re in a bind or that they’ve never done this before. However, employees often interrupt them, asking questions like, “Have you used storage before?” This unnecessary interruption can be frustrating.

I’ve noticed that many employees tend to interrupt customers frequently, even when the customer isn’t finished speaking. This often happens because employees feel overwhelmed and anxious about getting their points across. It’s crucial to recognize the appropriate moments to interject. While I understand that there’s a checklist to follow to ensure all important points are covered, effective communication goes beyond simply ticking off items. There are better ways to engage with customers while ensuring all necessary information is conveyed.

Sometimes, managers can overwhelm customers by providing a long list of sizes and prices. While they might think they’re being helpful, it often just confuses the customer, especially if they are new to the process. If they listened more attentively, they could simply offer a couple of suitable options, which would be far more effective. Instead of creating clarity, rattling off every detail can lead to confusion and diminish urgency, as customers may think they can take their time since there seem to be so many options.

Multitasking and Answering the Phone Don’t Work Well Together

Sometimes we tune out information and get sidetracked easily. I can say that I get sidetracked all the time, which is kind of human nature—especially when we’re busy.

When we’re juggling two or three tasks, we may think the customer is an interruption and hurry to get through our sales checklist.  Employees might not fully listen to the customer; they just want to get organized and start over at the beginning of the conversation.

As a result, they may ask questions that the customer has already answered. It seems like they don’t fully pay attention to what is being discussed. Sometimes they need to take a moment to reset, summarizing what the customer said to ensure they understand correctly, and that’s perfectly fine.

Learn from Your Less-Than-Stellar Calls

Your recorded telephone mystery shops are here to help you learn and improve. By listening to the recordings, you can observe what has already transpired. If you can listen without feeling angry or frustrated that the call didn’t go well, you can instead think about how to improve. Through your own listening, you can identify what was said and areas for improvement.

When you’re speaking on the phone, it’s hard to be aware of your inflection, enthusiasm, and energy. You may not realize how these elements are coming across. This is why it’s so crucial to listen—not only to your customers and what they’re saying but also to the feelings they express through their words and the way they talk. Their emotions are conveyed in how quickly or slowly they speak.

When evaluating these calls, it’s essential to consider both aspects: your performance and the customer’s experience. You might discover that you missed something important during the conversation, like talking over a customer instead of listening to their concerns. People often believe they know what happened in a call, but when they listen to the recording, they may realize they did something they weren’t aware of. For example, they might insist they asked a particular question, but after listening, they might say, “How did I miss that?”

I think this often happens because they weren’t truly listening and didn’t have a checklist to guide them. Having a checklist is crucial—it keeps you focused and on track during calls.

Focus, Focus, Focus…

It’s important to focus when answering the phone, even if you’re in the middle of something else. If you’re too engrossed in another task, you may not be able to pick up the phone, but it’s essential to find a balance. When you do answer the call, your attention should be directed toward that conversation. I understand that this can be quite challenging at times.

Listening is a Skill Set

To sum it up, listening is a skill. As we all know, we are often programmed to multitask. For instance, when you’re working and someone is on the phone next to you, you find yourself listening to them while also trying to focus on your own tasks. That’s just how our brains operate these days.

However, it takes effort to shut everything else off for a moment and concentrate on the phone call at hand. It’s not easy, as we are wired to be hypersensitive to everything happening around us. Paying attention to one thing can be challenging, especially when that phone call is the only task you need to focus on at that moment. Developing this skill takes time and practice.