Home : Blogs : South Austin Real Estate Blog, : South Austin's Random Real Estate Blog from Gail Tassey in Austin Texas

Hearing? Listening? There is a Difference

Hearing me? Listening? There is a difference

Yesterday we stopped at a fast food to get a snack and something cold to drink on our way home from picking up a mare, we had been out for all afternoon and it was at least an hour home so everyone was hot and a bit hungry. My daughterand two of my grandsons the 5yr old and the 11 yr old and me. The kids were being entertained by the DVD (what a great invention) so back to the fast food place.

Since we had the truck and horsetrailer its not easy to find a parking space so I told my daughter I will go inside and you go park in the Lowe's lot (which was huge and empty) .

Entering the fast food place, I stand in line and watch the young folks at the counter doing their jobs. There seems to be a bit of inefficiency going on but thats not uncommon, now its my turn. I step up to the young lady and ...

I said: I would like 3 orders of the 5 chicken strips.

Young lady says: Do you want those, small? medium? or large?

I said: Excuse me?

Young Lady says; Do you want those, Small? Medium? or Large?

I said: The 5 piece chicken strips comes in more than 5 pieces?

Young lady said: Oh, you just want chicken strips.

I said: yes please.

Young lady said: Did you want anything else?

I said: yes, 4 small drinks.

Now, that was the whole conversation except for that will be $$$ and I paid. So, was I clear in my request? I thought so. Was the young lady assuming I meant the combo meal, which would have come in Small , Medium or Large,? I do not know but I think so.

This is the very thing many of us are guilty of .. assuming we know what the customer wants because that is what everyone else wanted. This is true in real estate as well as fast food purchasing. It was a good lesson to me, to take the obvious and probe deeper into the meaning.

While we try in our professional life to really listen to the clients to hear what they are saying, are you really hearing it? Or are you jumping ahead in your mind and thinking you know what they are meaning?

Posted by South Austin Real Estate Blog, on 09/08/2009 07:52 AM

Comments (13)

Listening and Hearing in the ActiveRain Channel

active rainers

Originally posted at: South Austin Texas Real Estate blog: Hearing? Listening? There is a Difference

Post is included in group: Young at Heart
Post is included in group: The Ninety-ninth Percentile
Post is included in group: Lone Star Real Estate Professionals
Post is included in group: Club Chaos
Post is included in group: Almost Anything Goes

13 Comments on Hearing? Listening? There is a Difference

SEP

My wife says that I can spit back everything she says to me....but truly listening????? I need to get better. Thanks G.

I have clients that I have to say now did you understand that and are you listening. So many say oh I just was signing and did not remember that.

Gail - I think we are all guilty of "hearing" and not listening. This includes our personal as well as our professional life. We all could slow down and quit assuming that people know what we mean while explaining our professional process's, no matter what career field.

Gail,

It's funny. I frequently watch people's eyes too to see if they're listening to me or just hearing. There is a connection.

Rich

Great post. It is hard to find good service anymore. If they listen instead of hear they get it done and have a lot less trouble.

LOL!!!

we have all been to that fast food place :)

your friend in Charlottesville Virginia!

Hi Gail, Good post. Thanks for sharing.

Best - Sash

Dear Gail,

I feel listening is a lost art in this day and age. If you can do it effectively your clients will love you!

Betina

Customer service in general is a dying art. I must admit..in today's day of black berries, text, wireless Internet....Facebook...etc...I need to made an extra effort to ensure I am "listening"!

Gail NOW it matter of buyer hearing us what will work when we submit a sales offer, so many buyer whine how they lost of their dream home.

Hi Gail, I think the order takers at fast food places just want to hear if you want #1 or #4, etc. They don't pay attention.

I'm afraid I'm guilty. Especially when it comes to highways. We have a 36 and a 16 Hwy. If someone is speaking about 36 it is easy for me to be picturing 16 and having a hard time finding the house. I need to listen to what they are saying not to what I'm hearing.

OCT

It is very important to keep your mouth shut until the person is done talking when they are trying to explain something or ask for something. NEVER ASSUME! I get more buyers and sellers because I am willing to listen, rather than doing the talking.

Todd Clark - www.LivingBeaverton.com

Leave a response…

Name:

Email:
(optional)

Comment:

What does the graphic say?

Hearing? Listening? There is a Difference

Leave a response…

Twitter Updates