I received an unusually high response from readers of last week’s Leadership Notes regarding the topic, “listening.” That content was based on several of my recent observations (click here to read). As a result of the interest and ongoing discussions, this week I am continuing the conversation.
Of particular note in the responses was reference to the following paragraph:
…in any leadership or leadership support role, it is crucial to stay in touch with those we are appointed to serve. This is especially true for the senior-most leaders, as it can be easy to allow our separated function to slide us into a posture where we are out of touch with our “customers.” And we should not be deceived into the slumbering attitude that it is only the verdant freshmen leaders who fall prey to a growing distance between themselves and those they serve. Even experienced leaders must make the conscious decision to stay in touch with – and listen to – those they serve.
In my experience I have found that businesses who listen to customers are able to remain nimble and continue to advance the ball in the midst of changing market conditions. Yet it is surprising how often I meet with business and non-profit leaders only to discover that they are fundamentally “out of touch” with their targeted customer base. I have heard leaders say, “The people just don’t understand our program,” or “If they would simply realize that we know how to help them.” Each of these statements, and other telling responses, illustrate the core issue: a reluctance to embrace the insights that are available to leaders who are willing to listen.
To be clear, we are not suggesting that customer input or client feedback should control the direction of the company. Rather, good customer insight is like radar to a ship captain; the available information lets those in charge understand their route options – and then to select the course of steerage that is most wise and, hopefully, free of obstacles.
With this in mind, here are several ways to advance our conversation as we seek to gain – and to listen to – customer feedback:
- Comment Cards – by making comment cards available - and then reading them - the “pulse” of the customer base can be monitored. Conrad Hilton, when he was advanced in age and already extraordinarily successful, was asked about one of the secrets to his success. His answer? “I still read every comment card.”
- Focus Groups – sometimes it can be beneficial to pull together a specific group of customers and ask a series of questions about the company’s product or service. This will only be helpful if the senior-most leaders actually embrace the insights gained.
- Social Media – in the modern world, establishing a social media presence and observing social media trends can be a very helpful way to stay in touch with the customer experience. Tools exist that allow anyone to specifically monitor content related to their business on the web.
- Exit Interviews – When staff changes occur, which they inevitably will – it can be useful to conduct an exit interview. Yes, it is wise to consult a human resources professional regarding appropriate guidelines prior to this practice. That said, a great deal of insight can be available to the leader who listens.
- Listen to Our Critics – While we do not need to embrace the attitude of our critics, we can often learn from the content that is in embedded in their concerns. It can be difficult to sift through such content, and yet by setting aside attitudes and emotions, sometimes the facts can become clear and may very well prove useful.
There are other methods that can be helpful for those in leadership who seek to listen to the end-users of our service(s) or product(s). The key is this: to actually listen.
Sometimes the content is packaged in such a way that we are tempted to swerve around it like unwelcome potholes as we travel the road ahead. However, if we take the time to sort through the content, we will often find keys that will unlock the next level of our corporate effectiveness.