Improving Client Communication Through Active Listening
6 ACTIVE LISTENING STEPS TO IMPROVE CLIENT COMMUNICATION.
Efficient and effective client communication has a number of benefits. When a client feels that they are well understood and that their concerns are properly addressed it builds trust and creates a positive advisor-client relationship. This creates a better working experience for both parties and improves client retention.
Strong client communication also saves time. First, because when we ensure that we are understanding our clients we are able to answer the right questions and ask our own necessary questions sooner. Second, because clients who feel understood and well represented require less reassurances.
Use these active listening steps to improve client communication.
1. Be aware
It’s important to remember that you and your client are probably not speaking the same language, even if you have the same mother tongue. Most clients are not deeply familiar with the field you are advising them in. Of course this means that specialized technical jargon is foreign to them, but it also goes beyond that. The way they process information, understand your explanations, and express themselves may be quite different from how you or other experts in your field would. Knowing this and keeping it in mind when communicating with clients is the first step towards effective communication.
If something doesn’t make sense to you the way the client is saying it, make a note of it and don’t assume that your first impression of what the client is trying to communicate is always correct.
2. Be attentive
Since clients are likely to communicate and express themselves differently it is important to be attentive to get their message. This means listening to what they say and reading written communication completely while assessing their message with an open mind, to make sure that you are in fact receiving the message that they are trying to convey.
Try not to skim emails and keep in mind the different meanings any given term or phrase may have, especially for someone from a different industry. Don’t assume that you know what they’re getting at right away.
3. Clarify
Even when we are attentive to the message a client is trying to convey there may still be information gaps or ambiguities. To fill in these gaps and create a complete picture, ask direct clarifying questions targeted at the precise information you are lacking. Be careful not to get side tracked as this can confuse communication partners and derail discussions.
You mentioned invoicing requirements, were you thinking of a specific situation?
OR
You mentioned invoicing requirements, were you referring specifically to requirements related to VAT returns?
4. Confirm
To ensure that what you have understood is in fact what the client meant to convey you need to confirm your understanding. The best way to confirm your understanding of what your client has said or asked is to repeat what you have understood in other words. This will provide an opportunity for the client to confirm your understanding or correct possible communication errors and help get you back on the same page.
Client: “What regulations are there for invoicing?”
Don’t respond: “Do these 3 things ...”
Instead try: “The specific requirements in Germany that must be fulfilled on all incoming and outgoing invoices for VAT purposes are ...”
5. Summarize
Once you have confirmed your understanding, clarified ambiguities, and filled in gaps, you can solidify a shared understanding of the main aspects of the discussion by summarizing what you have understood in your own words.
In written communication this can be done in bullet points or verbally with short simple statements of the key points discussed.
6. Share
Active listening doesn’t end when you’re done answering questions, it can also help you deliver your own message more effectively. Now that you’ve listened and addressed the client's concerns and questions you can cover anything else that you need to discuss with them. When doing so, it's important to remember where your client is coming from and to try not to overwhelm them with too much new information in a format that they’re not prepared to receive.
Stick to the existing tone of communication and use their vocabulary and terminology when possible.
When sharing it is also important to make sure that you are being understood and not leaving anyone behind. Finding ways to check in with your clients understanding at different intervals is important.
Asking questions like “are you familiar with the invoicing requirements in Germany?” rather than assuming that they are or are not.
If you think a client is likely to already have certain information that is key to understanding a new topic or the next level of an issue you may want to repeat this information anyway to be sure. You can do this by saying something like “as you know the invoicing requirements in Germany are…”
When communication is optimized companies are able to save time while also building stronger, more sustainable client relationships. Practicing active listening steps is a great way to work towards more efficient and effective client communication.
Not to mention, active listening can also improve communication between colleagues and create a better working environment.
-Elaine W. Long
