In business, we need to ensure we don’t confuse silence with satisfaction.
Why? Because there is a sizeable percentage of the population, who dislike any form of confrontation. If they receive an average or below average service, they will choose to be courteous and say nothing, rather than complain.
Not everyone complains
- Some customers are too polite to complain about a product that disappoints them. They just won’t buy it again.
- Some diners are too polite to complain about the poor quality of the food they receive. They just won’t eat there again.
- Some clients are too polite to complain about the poor service they receive. They just won’t use that service again.
As a business owner, you need to look past the silence.
- If you don’t receive regular word of mouth referrals, there’s a reason.
- If your attrition rate is poor (the length of time you retain your clients), there’s a reason.
Listen and watch
If you want to know what your clients are really thinking, look at their actions. Talk to them, sure, however, pay very close attention to what they do and what they fail to do.