I was at the grocery store deli the other day ordering some sliced turkey breast. I ordered a full pound like I always do. The lady behind the counter smiled and nodded and proceeded to fill my order. When she was done, she handed me my package and was off. I realized almost immediately my order was much lighter than usual. Upon looking at the price tag print-out, I realized she had only given me half a pound of turkey. Noticing my helper had already moved on to another customer, and debating if I really wanted to wait or not, I decided to take my order and move on.
Not the most exciting story, but it demonstrates a key factor in customer service: Listening to the customer. In order to assure you get everything right in order to satisfy the customer, you must ensure you are listening to their every word. One small, minor mistake can escalate into huge problems resulting in upset customers, loss in revenue, and/or costly fixes.
One way to combat missing something important when speaking to a customer is to repeat what the customer told you. By doing this simple check, you’re not only letting the customer know you were listening, but you’re making sure you’ve got it right. Not only will the customer be impressed by this, he’ll be grateful to know you’ve made sure their needs are met.
