What It Means
Good business owners talk to their customers. Great ones listen to them.
When you spend more time listening than speaking, you learn what people truly want, what they care about, and what frustrates them. Too often, small business owners jump into selling, explaining, or pitching—when what the customer really needs is to be heard.
Listening more than you talk helps you:
Understand your customers' needs
Build real relationships
Avoid making wrong assumptions
Offer better products and services
And it’s not just about hearing words. It’s also about watching body language, reading between the lines, and asking gentle follow-up questions.
In business, listening is a superpower.
Stories from the Business World
Howard Schultz, the former CEO of Starbucks, turned the company around by listening. When sales began to fall in the late 2000s, he didn’t double down on advertising—he visited stores, talked to baristas, and listened to customers. He learned that the company had lost its personal touch. That insight led to major changes in training and store layout, bringing the warmth back to the brand.
Zappos, the online shoe store, built its reputation not on ads, but on customer service. Their agents are trained to really listen, even if it means spending an hour on the phone with one person. That level of listening built fierce customer loyalty—and made them a billion-dollar business.
Ways You Can Use It
At your business, try this:
When a customer complains, don’t defend—just listen. Let them finish. Ask what they hoped for. Then respond calmly.
At checkout or pickup, ask simple questions like: “Was everything okay today?” or “Is there anything you’d like us to carry next time?”
Keep a small notebook or app to jot down customer suggestions.
Let customers speak first in conversations, then follow their lead.
I know a local mechanic who tripled his referrals just by being quiet for the first five minutes of every customer visit. He’d nod, take notes, and let people talk about the car issue in their own words. Customers felt respected and heard—and they told their friends.
Fun Examples
A café owner told me that one regular customer always looked rushed. Instead of saying “How’s your day?” one morning she asked, “What’s making this day stressful for you?”
The woman paused, smiled, and said, “Thank you for asking… most people don’t notice.” That led to a regular 10-minute chat over coffee—and she brought her coworkers the next week.
Another shopkeeper used to greet customers with a long pitch. Now he says, “Welcome in! What brings you by today?” That small change—asking first, talking second—turned casual visitors into loyal fans.
Final Thoughts
Customers want more than a product—they want to be seen and heard.
So next time you're with a customer:
Pause before you speak
Ask open-ended questions
Really listen to what they say—and don’t say
Make changes based on what you learn
Talking builds attention. Listening builds trust.
And in business, trust is everything.
Dr. Son Tran teaches a number of business topics at SUNY Cobleskill, including entrepreneurship.
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