Your business reminds me of our family landscaping business. People a) want to see you and b) want to make sure you are listening to their comments and issues.

By you having to ask a couple more questions for clarity is the perfect example of how an entrepreneur should answer questions. Many times a customer’s first question will either require you to read between the lines or ask the customer questions in return so you can get the vital information you need to solve their problem.

And thanks for the congrats. He’s sooooo cute and tiny.

I’ve been watching and waiting for news of the arrival of your newest family member. Congratulations on the birth of your son.

What I have learned to do is to ask potential clients, “can you tell me a little bit more about your project?” I let them tell me what they want to do, and how they hope to accomplish it, including a time frame.

I then ask a few questions to clarify what they have told me, and at that point I can usually give them a solid answer.

If they want an estimate, we will schedule a visit to their site, view their plans, and a couple days later, supply them with a detailed written estimate. Putting a face to a name in our business is vital.

The most important thing I have learned is that the customer wants to “be heard”.

I agree, their first question doesn’t necessarily address the ultimate problem.

Barbara Swafford’s last blog post..Blogging - Year One - Lesson Two