Pay attention!
Who are you?
How frustrating is it when people don’t pay attention when you attempt to communicate with them, either verbally or through written messages?
A recent experience with someone who was providing a service to me — making me her client — proved very frustrating and was an excellent example of how appropriate communication skills can be critical to your business.
This individual who was working with me on behalf of her company — did I mention I was her client? — couldn’t even get my name right. She also didn’t pay attention to my specific situation, instead working through my information almost on auto-pilot, making the assumption that I was just like all her other clients.
It takes very little effort to pay attention when someone is talking to you or when someone has sent you information via email or other written means. Listen to the words. Read the words. Don’t think that you know what is going to be said or what the message will contain. There’s an excellent chance that you will be wrong.
Attention and Listening are two of the major components of REAL Communications. You cannot show Respect or even Empathy when you don’t pay attention and understand the whole story.
How much time does it take to read to the end of the message? How much time does it take to listen when the other person (especially your client) is talking to you?
How much time does it take to go back and correct your errors that were made because you didn’t pay attention? How much impact does it have on your business when your clients don’t feel like you are truly paying attention to their needs or listening to them as they tell you what you need to know about them?
When your client is speaking, focus on their words. When your client has sent you written information, read through it all. You might be surprised at what you learn. Your client will definitely be delighted that you have shown enough respect to pay attention.
Are your words working for you?
