Hello? Anybody out there?

If you are in business, you hope so. The "Anybody" could be a lifeblood, but for many companies struggling about how to engage with its audiences, "Anybody" could be a very scary prospect...

I began listening to customers and soliciting their input over 10 years ago as part of a large multinational printer company. At the time, the CEO only wanted to hear about something if customers thought there was a problem. That way, he could control support costs. Not a bad idea -- why wait for the phone to ring with someone who has been trying to print their kid's homework for 3 hours and take the wrath, listen and find out what might be wrong and give the engineers a chance to fix it, before it became a crisis.

Some would call my then-boss a "visionary," but those who know him wouldn't. He was just willing to listen and listening is hard.

If you listen you might learn, that everything you are doing IS NOT making your custoners ecstatic and complimentary. If you listen you might learn, that the senior management does not have everyone's respect. If you listen, you might learn....

What?

We've all heard the marketing mantra about starting the conversation with your customers. But once you start the conversation, how do you sustain the witty banter?

Try listening....