Comments on: Want to Help Your Customer? Then Just Shut Up https://customersthatstick.com/blog/want-to-help-your-customer-then-just-shut-up/ You can have the best customer experience in your industry Thu, 03 Jul 2025 17:51:12 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.1 By: The Importance of Listening in Customer Service | Customers That Stick https://customersthatstick.com/blog/want-to-help-your-customer-then-just-shut-up/#comment-167289 Wed, 03 Aug 2016 20:25:24 +0000 http://customersthatstick.com/?p=3601#comment-167289 […] We just need to remember that the first step in customer service listening is to stop speaking. […]

]]> By: Ian Zafra https://customersthatstick.com/blog/want-to-help-your-customer-then-just-shut-up/#comment-158437 Mon, 27 Apr 2015 08:33:40 +0000 http://customersthatstick.com/?p=3601#comment-158437 I can believe that letting the customer explain their situation and that in helping your customer, it’s better to listen to them first instead of throwing every idea to them.

]]> By: The 5th Habit of Customer Service: A Shout Out to Stephen Covey https://customersthatstick.com/blog/want-to-help-your-customer-then-just-shut-up/#comment-1468 Thu, 19 Jul 2012 14:24:03 +0000 http://customersthatstick.com/?p=3601#comment-1468 […] Seeking first to understand our customers is the charge of customer service and has obvious implications in reactive customer service. Taking the time to listen to the customer’s challenge before attempting to tell your “side of the story” is a crucial technique in the successful resolution of customer issues. As we discussed in Want to Help You Customers? Then Just Shut Up: […]

]]> By: Going Postal: Never Treat Your Customers as if They are Stupid https://customersthatstick.com/blog/want-to-help-your-customer-then-just-shut-up/#comment-1217 Wed, 09 May 2012 10:03:49 +0000 http://customersthatstick.com/?p=3601#comment-1217 […] The woman *thought* she knew the truth, but clearly didn’t. Rather than just keeping her mouth closed, she felt she had to keep […]

]]> By: Adam Toporek https://customersthatstick.com/blog/want-to-help-your-customer-then-just-shut-up/#comment-1159 Thu, 19 Apr 2012 02:29:37 +0000 http://customersthatstick.com/?p=3601#comment-1159 In reply to Saurabh Khetrapal.

You said it perfectly. Welcome to CTS Saurabh!

]]> By: Saurabh Khetrapal https://customersthatstick.com/blog/want-to-help-your-customer-then-just-shut-up/#comment-1158 Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:53:09 +0000 http://customersthatstick.com/?p=3601#comment-1158 Great advice! How can you possibly solve a customer’s issue if you don’t pay attention?! I know that, as a customer, I can’t stand to have a customer service representative try to “help” me by fixing problems I don’t even have. Don’t assume you know what’s going on the minute a customer starts talking, you may not have the whole story.

]]> By: Adam Toporek https://customersthatstick.com/blog/want-to-help-your-customer-then-just-shut-up/#comment-1138 Mon, 16 Apr 2012 11:32:01 +0000 http://customersthatstick.com/?p=3601#comment-1138 In reply to Theresa Torres.

Sounds like you had some good training Theresa. Thanks for bringing the perspective from both the sales and customer service worlds! It really does take an effort to overcome our natural instincts to talk in these cases, but the rewards are almost always worth the effort.

Welcome to CTS!

]]> By: Theresa Torres https://customersthatstick.com/blog/want-to-help-your-customer-then-just-shut-up/#comment-1134 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 16:00:17 +0000 http://customersthatstick.com/?p=3601#comment-1134 Hi Adam,
I’ve worked as a tech support and in outbound sales and the points that you mentioned were part of my training.
In tech support, we were advised to let the customer air their concerns and just listen. One reason for that is to let them blow their steam first so that when the right time comes, we can ask questions and they will be more willing to work with us towards a solution.
In outbound sales, we have to ask probing questions to identify the customer’s needs.
In both of these, active listening is really essential. Most of the time it’s kind of hard to shut up and it really takes some effort to just listen.
I think that’s what we need to work on not only in sales and customer service but also in our everyday lives if we really want to connect.
Thanks for the reminder!

]]> By: Adam Toporek https://customersthatstick.com/blog/want-to-help-your-customer-then-just-shut-up/#comment-1132 Thu, 12 Apr 2012 01:33:18 +0000 http://customersthatstick.com/?p=3601#comment-1132 In reply to Leon Noone.

Hey Leon, You know I’ve tabbed through Spin Selling a few times in the bookstore over the years but never made it to the counter. Might have to check it out. You’re right, Sales 101 is once you ask for the order, don’t speak. The real sales mavens (which I am not) can wait you out forever and make it feel completely natural.

Great seeing you!

]]> By: Adam Toporek https://customersthatstick.com/blog/want-to-help-your-customer-then-just-shut-up/#comment-1131 Thu, 12 Apr 2012 01:30:19 +0000 http://customersthatstick.com/?p=3601#comment-1131 In reply to Davina K. Brewer.

That’s the problem with role playing — the buyer can always be impossible to sell to. But if I had a forever ink, LoJack never lost pen… I bet I could sell it to someone! 🙂

That is very frustrating with tech support. I have a technique that works 2/3 of the time. As soon as they ask what the problem is, I tell them and don’t even pause for a breath before going into the things I’ve already tried. Doesn’t always work — and it really doesn’t solve the problem from the company side that you talk about.

Great to see you Davina!

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