Just Listen

One of the hardest parts of being a business owner is learning how to communicate effectively. This doesn't just means being able to ask clients questions regarding their design and printing. It means also listening when something is wrong.

Recently, a client of mine had some worries regarding the outcome of a project. While I had a solution I could offer right away, I chose to listen to my client and to let them vent first. Why?

Clients want to make sure they're being heard. I have found that if I can actively listen to a client's problem, then they feel that I've taken the time from my day to help them out. Do some clients call just to complain? Well, it not so many words. But yes, there are clients that can't be helped. However, it's important to make each client feel like they're getting the opportunity to express their concerns to me. It makes me feel respected (if a client can talk to me openly and honestly) and in return, I hope my client feels the same way.

So how do these difficult conversations usually go? First, I'll ask the client what's wrong and to explain their concerns to me in great detail. On the off chance the client gets heated, I simply interject and ask if there's a better time we should discuss seeing as how the person is quite upset. Usually, this brings the conversation back to a normal tone, if it wasn't already.

After the client has thoroughly vented, I tell them that I've already thought of a solution. But first, I make it clear that I empathize with them. That if I were in their position, I'd probably see it the same way. This usually puts everyone on an even surface and the conversation now becomes about working together to solve a problem; not just client vs. designer.

Finally, after exploring solution options, it's time to be proactive. I don't like to get off the phone or leave a face to face conversation with a client if they're still unhappy. I find it's best to completely talk out any emotions there may be before moving on. In the end, I think everyone walks away feeling productive and knowing what the next step is. It's never a good idea to become combative with a client, as difficult as it may be at times. It's also never a wise choice to conduct correspondence of this type over email, as tones can easily be mistaken.

Clients are the life of a business. Make sure they're happy and that they feel you care. Finding the balance between working together to fix a problem and just listening to someone complain, however, is a trick that takes time to master.