What Are Your Customers Telling You?

By Dr. Teresa A. Smith

Your customers may be telling you how to grow your business without ever saying those words. Their questions, concerns, and changing needs give you information every time you interact with them. The opportunity is recognizing when those individual conversations begin to reveal something larger.

Think about a hairstylist who begins hearing more clients talk about thinning hair. She may already recommend products or adjust how she cares for their hair, but after hearing similar concerns from several women, those repeated concerns may point to a customer need worth exploring. Instead of viewing each conversation separately, she can begin looking at what these clients have in common and what they may need beyond a regular appointment.

That doesn’t mean the stylist should move outside her expertise. It could mean exploring a specialized package using services she already provides, considering appropriate products or follow-up support, or building a relationship with another professional when a client needs something beyond her scope. What started as conversations in the salon may help her develop something that serves her clients differently while also creating another opportunity for her business.

This kind of information is easy to miss when we’re busy doing the work. We answer the question in front of us, solve the immediate problem, and move on to the next customer. When similar conversations keep happening, however, it may be worth looking at them together and asking what they’re showing us.

Growth doesn’t always require starting from scratch. Sometimes we can take what we already know, combine it with what the people we serve are telling us, and discover another way to package or expand what we provide. That may also help a business distinguish itself by responding to needs its customers are already experiencing.

Pay attention to what keeps coming up in your business. A repeated question, changing customer need, or request you’ve heard several times may be worth another look. Your customers may already be giving you clues about what they need next.