Why does nobody talk about how you explain things to customers?

A regular at my shop in Omaha told me last month, 'You keep saying 'just reimage it' like I know what that means.' I realized I was using too much jargon and now I start every fix by asking them to describe the problem in their own words first. How do you guys make sure your explanations actually land?

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3 Comments

the_mila7mo ago

Start with their words, not your tech talk.

10

betty_park7mo ago

Mila's got it right, we all forget that sometimes. People just want to be heard before you jump to solutions. It's a good reminder to listen first.

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anthony8836mo ago

Read an article once that called it the "curse of knowledge." Once you know something, it's hard to remember not knowing it. You just assume everyone else gets the basic terms. That customer calling you out was a gift, honestly. Forces you to slow down and meet people where they are. Starting with their own description is the only way to make sure you're both talking about the same problem.

1