Listen to Suggestions

If you are up to your ears in a stressful situation- it becomes difficult to think clearly. Sometimes- it is best to walk away from a problem- and think about it- rather than try to solve it with an instant solution.

My grandfather used to say: “Even the court jester can teach us something useful.” This saying goes much deeper in meaning and applies to many things - from a Yoga class- to not taking life too seriously- and to the unfortunate way customer feedback is commonly handled by the business world.

As a customer of any service or product - how do you feel when your Email is ignored- your voice mail message is never answered- and you don’t get any feedback or concern- at all- from customer service? We all feel the same – nobody likes to be ignored. The shame of all this is that customer service is getting worse on a global scale.

Business

Listen to Suggestions
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Knowing this- we should take the time to listen when someone has taken the time to give us a constructive suggestion. When you do acknowledge a suggestion and consider- implement- or try it- you could possibly create a bond for life.

Here is a little story about how listening can pay off. Years ago- I was working at a health club and had a dilemma. I had a personal training client with a weight control problem- but I couldn’t figure out what the problem was.
She was exercising- eating the right things- following a new healthy diet- taking Yoga classes- and had made a 30 day turn around in lifestyle- with no results to measure.

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I brainstormed with the health club owner with no real success- but we were interrupted by someone who said that I should have my client log everything she eats and drinks.

Well- I took the suggestion and ran with it. I discovered my client was drinking three Cokes a day. She didn’t equate Coke with sugar grams- and didn’t think it was important enough to mention.

After that- she lost five pounds a month- on average- for the next twelve months. That’s an optimum 60 pound weight loss in a year. This particular client kept the weight off.

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The person who made that suggestion is still a dear friend to this day. Needless to say- I have every personal training client log their meals- and drinks - just to be certain.

In summary- it doesn’t take a “rocket scientist” to listen to customer feedback- or a colleague’s suggestions; but all of us- no matter how important we think we are- must be willing to sit back and listen to constructive advice. This will be the difference between managers of businesses that flourish and those that fail in the twenty-first century.

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Listen to Suggestions