Why Focusing on Your Customer is Key to Solving Problems (and Keeping Clients)
We’ve all been there. Your biggest client calls, but their voice is strained, and their tone is unusually formal. “I need you to get down here as quickly as possible,” they say, “I’m very upset.”
Your stomach plummets.
As you rush to their office, a frantic mental movie starts playing in your head. You replay every recent interaction, desperately searching for clues to explain their distress. Did the shipment get delayed? Was there a billing error? What did I do wrong?
But here’s the thing: in these high-pressure moments, we tend to focus on ourselves – how the situation will impact us, how we’ll handle the fallout, how we’ll recover from the potential loss of business.
This is the “Odds Are Dilemma”—at the very moment, we need to be laser-focused on our customer’s needs; we’re trapped in our own heads, filtering everything through the lens of “How does this affect me?”
Research from Carew International confirms this. There’s a 67% chance that your initial reaction in a crisis will be inwardly focused. It’s a natural human response, but it can be disastrous for business.
Why is this inward focus so damaging?
It hinders empathy: When we’re preoccupied with our own anxieties, we fail to truly understand our customer’s perspective. We miss essential cues and fail to grasp the emotional gravity of the situation.
It blocks effective communication: Instead of actively listening, we’re busy formulating our defense or planning our next move. We are reacting. This prevents us from restoring rapport, asking the right questions, and responding.
It delays problem-solving: By jumping to conclusions or offering premature solutions, we risk alienating the customer and exacerbating the problem.
So, how do we escape the “Odds Are Dilemma”?
The key is to shift our focus from “me” to “them.”
Here’s how:
Active Listening: Give your full attention to your customer. Listen without interrupting, and use verbal and nonverbal cues to show you’re engaged.
Empathetic Inquiry: Ask open-ended questions to understand their perspective and the root cause of their concern. “Help me understand what’s causing your frustration” is a great starting point.
Validation: Acknowledge their feelings and concerns, even if you disagree. Phrases like “I can see why you’re upset” or “That sounds frustrating” can go a long way in restoring credibility.
Collaborative Problem-Solving: Once you fully understand the situation from their perspective, involve the client in the process and partner together to develop a solution.
By prioritizing your customer’s needs and perspectives, you can:
- Build stronger relationships: Demonstrating empathy and genuine concern builds trust and loyalty.
- Resolve issues more effectively: Understanding the root cause of a problem leads to more effective and sustainable solutions.
- Increase customer satisfaction: When customers feel heard and understood, they’re more likely to be satisfied with the outcome, even if it’s not perfect.
- Drive business success: Happy customers are repeat customers. By consistently putting their needs first, you can increase retention and drive long-term growth.
In the case of our fictional client above, the best approach is to arrive at his office with an open mind, listen carefully to his concerns, and resist the urge to jump into problem-solving mode until you fully understand his perspective.
By making the client feel heard and understood, you can turn a potential crisis into an opportunity to strengthen your relationship and solidify trust.
The next time you face a challenging client situation, remember the “Odds Are Dilemma.” By shifting your focus from “me” to “them,” you can transform a potential disaster into a win-win.
