Summarise Key Information: the value of being understood
If you would classify your customers as merely satisfied - your business is in trouble. Customers have so many options when it comes to providers. It's critical to the survival of your company that you deliver unexpected value. Taking the time to make customers feel valued and understood is a great way to do this.
Not feeling that others really know us can leave us feeling estranged and lacking trust. So how can a consultant convey to a customer that they have been understood? By listening, actively, to what they are saying and demonstrating they have heard them by way of a summary.
Have you ever been engaged in a conversation when you’ve questioned if the other person was listening to what you were saying? You wonder if your message is getting across, or if it's even worthwhile continuing to speak. It feels like talking to a brick wall Paraphrasing throughout a conversation is a great way to make sure you have correctly understood the customer and provide them with reassurance that they have your full attention. Summarising and paraphrasing can also save time by avoiding confusion and an inappropriate solution.
According to GRIST’s annual survey of 60+ Australian sales contact centres, only 6% of customers are receiving a summary of key points during a sales conversation. Making a conscious effort to hear not only the words that a customer is saying but, more importantly, the complete message being communicated is an important step in being able to provide a concise and accurate synopsis of their requirements. Summarising at the close of a needs analysis conversation forces the consultant to reflect on what just happened, leading to deeper introspection and getting a better understanding of the issue or situation. This will build customer trust and improve a consultant’s ability to provide a desired solution.
The below infographic shows the gap between the average customer experience and that being provided by the best performing contact centre.
The good news is that it’s possible to improve quickly, using a very simple micro-behavioural approach. Here’s how.
Micro-behaviour: Summarise Key Information
What is it?
A brief summation of key details discussed before providing a solution. A well-spoken summary can verify that people understand each other. It can make communications more efficient and ensure that the gist of the communication is captured by all involved.
Why is it important?
A summary demonstrates the consultant has actively listened, while also providing an opportunity for the customer to correct or add any details. By confirming the customer’s requirements with them before moving to the solution, the consultant increases their likelihood of providing a suitable solution.
When?
When listening to a customer, look for what exactly they are trying to say underneath the words. Look for any one major point that comes from the communication and what the person is trying to accomplish in the communication. It is sometimes useful to paraphrase throughout, other times, just a summary of the main points before the solution will be adequate.
How?
It is important not to introduce new ideas or information, not to make judgements on what the customer has said, or to "spin" their words toward what you want to hear. Instead, simply restate their position as you understand it.
“Just to summarise what you’ve told me, Koji, you would like to get an electricity connection to the place you’re moving to next Thursday. You’re happy to pay via direct debit and receive electronic communication, and you’re interested in a product with a carbon offset or renewable portion. Have I missed anything?”
Mini execution plan:
Implementing this in your team is easy and can take as little as a week.
Day 1: Run a focus session to explore the What, Why and How of the Summarise Key Points micro-behaviour.
Set a goal: Ask the team to summarise the key points of the focus session
Day 2: Run a roll play of a customer discover conversation in your focus session and ask your team to practice active listening followed by a summary of key points. Rotate rolls.
Set a goal: Ask the team to practice summarising customer’s needs multiple times throughout the day before providing a solution. Take note of customer’s response to the summary.
Day 3 to 5: Identify and discuss the impact of active listening and summarising on the customer, and share best practise.
Set a goal: Gradually increase the frequency that the Summarise Key Points micro-behaviour is demonstrated.
End of the week: Review how far you have come and the impact the team is having on the customer experience (and themselves). Then celebrate because that feeling of success drives habit formation!
Check out our series of our micro-behaviour deep-dives to help your customers and teams:
Empathise and Enthuse: Improve customer experience with empathy
Benefits and Attributes: Letting the customer know how you will help them
[Photo by YIFEI CHEN on Unsplash]
