Listen to what someone is saying

Recently we were trying to plan a get together with a friend and it was a challenge because they didn’t hear that given food allergy’s locations were very limited. We nicely explain why their first location wouldn’t work and gave an option. They then same back with an option of a location that yes, was close to where we lived, but wasn’t some where that we went. This specific location was a location where I had a severe allergic reaction so no, I don’t want to go there.

Their explanation for the location was it was close to where we live so that is why he thought it was where we could eat. In a lot of instances, we don’t eat near to home because it is easier and safer to eat at home then eat at a restaurant that is local. The other thing that we have found is that eating at a chain restaurant to so many times safer than eating at an independent restaurant because the chain has strict rules that they need to follow.

The first location that the person thought about going was a location that they never had been before but thought it was a good place. Maybe part of it is because of the prices on the menu that was posted online. How current is the menu that is posted on the website especially when there is no date on the menu or even a copyright date on the website.  We did some research on the location and explained why it wasn’t such a good location given there was an open kitchen that could be very risky given someone with a shellfish allergy. The response we got was “Thank you for the in-depth research. I can appreciate the work to do this level of research! How about something closer that you may have been to” 

The interesting part of this is we had already told them a location that has been safe to go to for the past few years which wasn’t that far away. They immediately suggested a location without really thinking about the location we had recommended. It can be extremely frustrating when trying to explain to someone that we had told you a location we thought was safe so why are you continuing to think of other locations. The location that they recommended was a location that I had a severe allergic reaction at quite a few years ago. Yes, the location name has changed but is it still the same owner or safe and do they still deal with things the same way, that I am not certain, and I don’t want to find out by having an allergic reaction again.

When someone has a severe food allergy you need to listen to what they are saying and not immediately continue to recommend locations that you want to go to. Maybe what you are showing is that you don’t understand about allergies, or you don’t seem to care. I know a lot of people care about someone with food allergies but this individual even after multiple times explaining to them the issue just didn’t seem to get it.

If you know someone that has severe food allergies it is very important that you listen to what they are saying. Them saying locations that they feel safe eating at is something that you have to understand. Maybe it isn’t a place that you would at first want to go to but remember if you want to see that person you have to make some compromises. Listening to what they are saying needs to be considered if you want them to be safe when you get together.

Listening to customers

Knowing the important of listening to customers can make a big difference in how you are seen by the customers.

Recently we were attending a conference and there were quite a few issues with regards to registration and the app that the conference was using to plan your agenda. I was fortunate to be able to express some of my frustration with the registration progress to someone from within the company. What I didn’t expect was the outcome of that conversation.

The outcome after the conference was an email from a vice president wanting to talk to me to discuss some of the issues that I had. Now the organization that I am talking about is not a small one location company but a multi-national company which a lot of locations world wide as well as lots of clients, which we are one of them. The email was a touch base and a question to actually talk to me so that they could hear about my issues without anyone else translating them. I had no problem accepting this request and am happy that I did accept it.

The conversation took place and I am happy that he was willing to listen to my issues and help explain why some of them actually happened. I was also provided with some follow up on one of the major issues and am happy that it was handled as quickly as it was. Now the rest of the issues that I talked to him about are things that can be improved moving forward and I hope that they are. The end of this conversation was a promise by him to follow up with me again once he has some more information. I appreciated the time he took to listen and the promise of following up with how some of the issues will be addressed moving forward.

Now what I have promised to do is if needed is to test both the registration and the app for next year to ensure that some of the issues that I pointed out have been resolved and the system is working better. I am glad that this organization did want to list to an end user / customer because I will now favourable recommend them as a software provided and know that they really do listen.

Listening to the customers can really make a difference on how you as an organization will be seen. Not everyone that is unhappy will provide the feedback but when they do make sure you take the time to listen and inquiry about the issue because if one person has had the problem and is complaining about it, how many have had the same issue and are just frustrated and maybe left.