“When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know. But if you listen, you may learn something new.”
~ Dalai Lama XIV
In my last article, THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE BEGINS WITH EMPATHY, I left you with a cliff hanger. I felt RADICAL LISTENING deserved it’s own spotlight. It’s one of the most critical aspects to truly understanding your customers, yet it’s also one of the least employed.
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Radical listening is the ability to focus all of your attention on the other 
person; to listen start to finish without interruption; to put your ego aside and clear your head of any distractions. Then, when the person is finished, repeat back to them what they told you. Because radical listening requires listening without pause, it can be extremely powerful in reducing conflict and building critical connections and a mutual understanding.
The customer who bought the guitar gave a detailed account of her experience at her gig, and finished her story by asking someone to identify with how she felt at that moment.
Let’s break that sentence apart:
“asking someone to identify how she felt” : I liken that sentence to emotional drowning. The majority of customers are begging for empathy. The guitar isn’t the issue; the way she felt in the moment is what she wants you to understand.
This is where radical listening becomes crucial; the majority of sales staff want to either a) solve the material issue or b) dismiss the customer altogether. When you really listen to someone, you create an emotional bond that leads to understanding.
Remember, a complaining customer isn’t mad at you; they are mad at the situation. By forming that connection through radical listening, the customer will appreciate you identifying with their situation and can result in a positive, lasting impression.
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