Our next topic is learning how to be slow to respond, called “don’t jump”.
The theory stems from the car dealer, Lexus. They began to build a strong foothold in the industry by using empathetic questioning to understand the clients better. When welcoming clients into the facility, they are known for asking “Why do you want to buy a Lexus”. This question triggers consideration and provides an opportunity for the client to consider their motives and goals. This is typically followed up with “Who do you want to buy it for?”.
While it’s certainly not ideal to ask your clients “why do you want us to fix your technical issue?”, when they call you, there are opportunities for information gathering that are akin to those of the Lexus team.
As a service professional, it’s not uncommon for you to know the answer to the client’s problem before they even finish explaining it to you. The tendency though is to jump right in and start solving it, because you think that speed in resolving the issue for the user is top priority. While you do want to ensure that your clients get service in an expedient fashion, you should want to balance it with the goal of deeply understanding the client, the issue at hand, and its impact.
Don’t jump – just listen. Hold your comments, wait for the whole reveal. Take time to ask for clarity, probe their answers, and demonstrate empathy.
Use questions like:
Could you tell me more about that?
How do you feel about that?
How has this affected things?
What impact does this have on staff/specific software or departments?
Questions like these help the client elaborate on the issue, its impact on their day-to-day, and provide you the opportunity to gather more information.
Once you have this extra clarity, take a moment to repeat what they have said and asked back to them, providing another opportunity for more clarity. Something like “So, if I understand correctly, upon login this morning, you noticed that the XYZ software was quite slow. Since it has now stopped loading, you are having difficulty completing ABC which needs to be completed today. Is that correct?” You can also add “Are there any details you’d like to add?”
One helpful tip to remember is that you should begin with the end in mind. If you and the user can agree on what needs to be achieved, a timeframe, goals in mind, and setting appropriate expectations along the way, this helps the whole process run smoothly.
Interested in learning how to get your team Customer Experience trained? Reach out to our office at 905-228-4809 today!
