The Importance Of Listening In Customer Experience Strategy

About 20 years ago, I started doing something simple yet incredibly powerful: I picked up the phone and asked my clients’ customers a few honest questions. No fancy research firms. No complicated surveys. Just real conversations. Fast forward to today—I’ve done over 1,000 of these interviews. And I can confidently say this: Talking to your customers is the single most important thing you can do to shape your marketing. But here’s the catch: you have to keep probing. If you ask, “Why did you choose this company?” most people will say things like: ~ They had great service. ~ They were professional. ~ Their pricing was fair. That’s surface-level. It’s not the real reason. So, I always ask, as a follow-up, something like, “Tell me a story about a time when they provided great service.” That’s when the gold comes out. 👉 “I was in total panic because my system went down before a big presentation, and they picked up the phone on the first ring. I didn’t feel like just another customer—I felt like they actually cared.” 👉 “We were struggling to figure this out, and they didn’t just fix the problem—they walked us through it step by step, so we felt in control again.” This is what they are not getting anywhere else in their life. When you listen for emotional words and themes, you uncover what really matters. It’s rarely about product, price, or features—it’s about trust, confidence, relief, and peace of mind. And when you use the exact words your customers use to describe their problems (instead of industry jargon), your messaging becomes clearer. Your website resonates more. Your ads perform better. So here’s my challenge to you: Go talk to your customers. But don’t stop at the first answer. Keep asking. Dig deeper. Make them tell you a story. "Tell me more about that" is your best tool; keep asking it over and over. You might be surprised at what you hear. And it just might change the way you do marketing forever.

The Meaning of Communication Is the Response You Get In my previous post, I talked about resilience and adaptability. Today, I want to explore how Customer Experience (CX) and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) work together to create impactful and lasting customer interactions. As both a CX professional and NLP Master Practitioner, I’ve learned that it’s not just about metrics like NPS or CSAT; it’s about understanding the deeper reasons behind how customers speak and act, especially when they are upset or angry. This is where one key NLP presupposition comes into play: “The meaning of communication is the response you get.” In CX, it’s crucial to realize that no matter how well-intended our communication is, the true measure of success lies in the customer's response. Their reaction—whether positive or negative—determines whether we’ve succeeded in delivering a positive experience. Here’s how applying NLP principles can elevate CX, particularly when it comes to building rapport with angry customers: Active Listening: When a customer is upset, they often want to feel heard and validated. By actively listening—not just to their words but to their tone and emotions—we can better understand their frustrations. This approach shows that we genuinely care about their concerns, which can help defuse anger and create a sense of connection. Empathy and Validation: Acknowledging a customer's feelings is crucial. Phrases like, “I understand why you’re upset” or “That sounds really frustrating” can go a long way. This validation reassures them that their emotions are recognized and that we are on their side, working towards a resolution. Mirroring and Matching: Subtly mirroring the customer’s tone and body language can create a sense of rapport. If a customer is speaking passionately or with frustration, matching that energy (while maintaining professionalism) can help them feel understood. This technique can ease tension and create a more conducive environment. Offering Solutions: Once rapport is established, it is important to focus on solutions to ease the customer’s frustration. “Here is what I can do to fix this” helps shift the conversion from frustration to reassurance. Follow-Up: After resolving the issue, following up with the customer demonstrates that we value their relationship. A simple message to check in shows commitment to their satisfaction and can turn a negative experience into a positive one, strengthening loyalty. Blending CX frameworks with NLP insights doesn’t just improve customer interactions; it also enhances internal communication, leadership, and collaboration, nurturing a truly customer-centric culture. How are you applying human psychology in your customer strategies? Have you had moments where truly understanding a customer’s emotions made all the difference? I’d love to hear your thoughts! #customerexperience #strategicgrowth

Here's how I got my client to listen to her community instead of just her business My client, an owner of a local coffee shop, was puzzled. Despite active social posts, her coffee shop stayed quiet. She was shouting into the digital void. One day, she overheard customers: "I wish there was a quiet place to work with good Wi-Fi and late hours."  Lightbulb moment! She shared with me over the discovery call that she'd forgotten to listen to her community. I changed her approach. 1. Tuned In: Followed local hashtags, joined community groups. 2. Read Between Lines: Noticed discussions about study spaces and late-night coffee needs. 3. Adapted: Extended hours, upgraded Wi-Fi, created quiet zones. 4. Engaged: Joined conversations, shared tips beyond just promotions. 5. Measured: Tracked mentions and sentiments. Result? Her shop became the go-to spot. Revenue doubled, engagement soared – all from posting smarter, not more. Most businesses focus on sales rather than social listening, so here's why social listening matters to all brands: 1. Uncover needs 2. Improve offerings 3. Manage crises 4. Gain competitive edge 5. Build authentic connections For those of you who are missing that vibe in your business, I would like to set a challenge: 1. Observe your niche for a week without self-promotion. 2. Find three surprising audience insights. 3. Plan strategy adjustments based on these. Share your biggest revelation! How will you transform your approach? #SocialListening #DigitalMarketing #BrandStory

You've heard "listen to your customers." Easier said than done. I'll be the first to say that's the hardest thing to do in a role like mine. We have hundreds of customer conversations a month, and the biggest challenge is understanding what customers are actually saying, uncovering themes, and identifying how to act on them. That's where AI has been invaluable. In the past, focusing on the easiest things to measure has been my biggest mistake. Lagging indicators and reactive metrics based on what already happened. Important, but not predictive. AI listens to every single conversation we have, and without it, we wouldn't have connected the dots between those hundreds of hours of calls. We found lags that weren't a lack of effort or skill on our CSM team's part—they only became clear when we zoomed out and saw patterns across all those conversations. That's listening at scale, and it's provided systemic opportunities that wouldn't exist without AI. #AI #Listening #Opportunity

Imagine this: I was working at a company, and we were about to lose a $2 million client. But here's the twist – I was the only one who saw it coming. Some years back, I had a job focused on developing client relationships. One day, a client dropped a bombshell on me: they were really unhappy with a process our entire team had JUST reworked. To make matters worse, this wasn't just any client; it was a $2 million client hanging by a thread. I jumped into action, telling the client, "Thank you, I'm going to talk to my team. I promise I'll be back with a solution." I approached my team, expressed the seriousness of the situation, and emphasized the importance of listening to what this client was saying. They didn't listen to me at first (just like they weren't listening to the client), but in the end, I managed to get through to them. They listened and agreed to take this client's recommendations. That experience, way back when, was a wake-up call about the power of listening. It wasn't just about hearing; it was about genuinely getting what the client was saying and what they needed. It was an awakening! Instead of losing them, we not only retained their business but forged a stronger bond and even expanded our partnership. 📈 Listening isn't a "nice-to-have" skill; it's the foundation of understanding. It's the bridge that connects what we think someone wants with what they really need. 🗝️ Of course, today, stories like this have made it my mission to spread this idea of The Art of Active Listening. I teach individuals and organizations how to weave active listening into their organizations because, truthfully, it makes all the difference.💡 Have you ever had anything similar to this happen to you? What made the difference in your situation? #Activelistening #Clientsuccess