Michael Jensen at Solo SEO posted this visual description of the misconnection between what a customer wants and what they get.




Where did the disconnect happen?

Many might point to the customer's ignorance of what her needs will cost and therefore a poor budgetary allowance. However, when you look at the budget and what the customer REALLY wanted, the difference is a used tire.

Others might say the customer did a poor job of communicating what they really wanted. Or worse, that the customer didn't really know WHAT they wanted.

I believe the disconnect happens from the beginning, where we as vendors ask a question, anticipate what we THINK will be the answer and start down the entirely wrong path.

The key: listening.

We say that all the time, right? We talk about the importance of listening and asking open ended questions and connecting customer expressed needs with our company solutions.

However, I would challenge all of us - including myself - if we are really listening. How many times do we deliver what the customer really wants?

Deborah Chaddock Brown
Writer Wondering just how well she really listens.