‘What is your name?’
The art of listening to customers is vital for a startup, but our passion for ‘our thing’ means we don’t listen to understand, we listen to reply. When we listen with curiosity, we listen for what’s behind the words. The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to understand – and thus win customers – is to listen to them.
So how do you listen to your customers?
– Stop Talking: first impressions count
– Be fully in the moment
– It’s not what, but how it’s said
– Sit their side of the table, be curious and listen for ideas
– Show you’ve picked up on the key points
– Maintain eye contact
Starbucks has tapped into the importance of being valued in a unique way through the ‘Can I have your name?’ approach when you enter their coffee shop.
Having read this I hope you are now listening!
Thank you Ian Brookes FRSA#womenintech#oneteam#startups#techher