Effective Communication: Unlocking Success with Customers

Introduction

I can’t tell you how many times employees or mentees have come to me and said “Grrr this customer is going to be the death of me” or “I can’t seem to do anything right for them” or “I’m at a loss of what to do, I’ve tried everything.” Most of the time, they have not tried the one thing that works the best … pick up the phone and talk to them.

Sometimes when you’re on the front lines with customers, you’re exhausted and can’t seem to take a step back, breathe and think about what problem you’re trying to solve. Most of the time, the problem is a lack of expectation setting and communication. You need to be clear on what the customer should always expect.

Most of my experience has been in technology so you can imagine, I’ve dealt with a slew of unhappy customers. Customers who didn’t get what they wanted, when they wanted it, and how they wanted it. Customers who lost a lot of money due to system downtime, or customers who had major issues during implementation, even some that were my fault. All of those situations were tough and I got through them because I had built trust. I always tried to be realistic about what the situation was. You can’t and shouldn’t sugarcoat technology because there are huge dependencies for customers and, most of the time, huge costs.

The risk can be high. Identifying and communicating risks is essential to the relationship. We can’t predict every little whim with technology and there will be surprises, but the more you communicate what you do know, the less trouble you’ll have when it takes an unexpected turn. Why? Because they trust you. They trust that you would have told them if you knew upfront. And now they trust you to tell them how you are going to rectify the issue and with full transparency about what happened.

I am in no way condoning the mentality “the customer is always right” here, however, I am saying that there should not be any surprises on either side. Clear, effective, and consistent communication is how you ensure that happens.

Check your ego

This is not a battle of who is right and who is wrong. This is not a situation where you cannot wait to prove your customer wrong. This is where you check your ego at the door because it is not about you, it is about the customer and their needs and what you said you would do for them. Sometimes when I find myself irritated, it’s because I know there was something I could have done differently leading up to the issue. I make a mental note of it, try my best not to repeat it, and share it with my team as a teaching moment. You have to own what is yours.

Listen

I learned a long time ago while writing system requirements that sometimes customers don’t know how to articulate their needs as well as you would like them to. They are not technologists, you are. That is why they seek assistance from you, the expert. Start by listening to what they are saying and repeat it back to them, seeking any clarification you might need. Be curious and open-minded about what they are asking of you. If you need to, take a moment before reacting to an angry customer over the phone or replying to an angry email. As much as possible, listen without the knee-jerk defensive reaction.

Document

Always document what you agreed to and send it to them for confirmation that you heard it right. If you have a shared document space or a ticketing system, post the conversation or meeting minutes there for your customer to view and agree to. Avoid assumptions and seek clarity if something isn’t clear to you. Wishy-washy doesn’t work in these situations.

Be Realistic

In technology, I have heard the following phrase way overused “Underpromise and overdeliver”. I hate that phrase and everything about it. What can you deliver and when can they expect you to deliver it? This doesn’t mean you make false promises you know you can’t keep or promises that will lead to team burnout. This also doesn’t mean that you know you can deliver 10 stories at the end of the next sprint, but you tell them six because you want them to pat you on the back for the additional four stories you delivered over and above what you promised. Yes, give yourself a buffer, but don’t take advantage of it. There is a lot that goes into the customer being prepared for the work you plan to deliver so don’t cheat them out of the “real” plan. A good estimation of the work is a great place to start.

Conclusion

In closing, show up for your customers, their business is depending on you and your expertise. Building relationships and trust takes time. I can assure you that the time you invest in them will be time well spent and will mitigate lots of anxious and stressful situations that every technology project faces at one time or another.