You heard what the customer or client said, the words they used. That doesn’t mean you also know what message they were trying to convey.
In our normal conversations, this is no big deal most of the time. But in an important conversation, it can create major problems.
Imagine someone tells you their business grew by 15% last year. They might want your congratulations. Equally, they might want your commiserations. Without clarity regarding the context, your reaction and response could be way off.
Always get the context before you respond.