Noisy Customers
Are your customers the good noisy or the bad noisy? Can you tell which is which?
There are (generally) two types of noisy customers:
Customers who want to exploit your weaknesses for their gain.
Customers who want to succeed alongside you, but your weaknesses stand in the way.
Sure, I've spent many hours with folks in the first category. We all have. But you know what? Nearly all the frustrated customers I've dealt with fall into category number two.
I often see people make a common mistake in these customer interactions: They defend their positions instead of cooperating—agents, managers, and the C-suite alike.
Rather than defaulting to defense, first, identify if this client wants you to succeed. If they want to see you win, open the door. Don't push back. Ask, "I see what you're saying. I'm interested in hearing from you. What does ideal look like in this scenario from your perspective?"
The questions left unasked remain unanswered.
Defense will not allow you to learn what you need to know. Your customers' voices—even the noisy ones—are critical to becoming the organization you aspire to be.
As always,
Stay humble. Hang tough.
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