In our day-to-day work, we may find ourselves immersed in the ocean of code, busy implementing various features. But don’t forget, our work ultimately serves the clients and meets their needs. Here are some tips in my practices on how to better listen to and understand our clients.
Firstly, let us set aside those complex technical terms and truly think from the client’s perspective. Try to imagine, if I were the client, what kind of service and solution would I expect? When we deeply understand the reasons behind the problems raised by the clients, we can better assess the potential impact of these needs on our system, thus making more reasonable decisions.
Communication is not just the exchange of language, but also the collision of ideas. We often say “a picture is worth a thousand words,” in communication with clients, charts and data can often convey our ideas more intuitively, helping us to stay on the same wavelength with the clients. So, do not be stingy with those carefully prepared charts and data, they are powerful tools for our communication.
Of course, the choice of language is equally important. Under different cultural backgrounds, the same words may be interpreted differently. Therefore, we need to accumulate various polite expressions to ensure that our communication is both sincere and appropriate.
When we encounter difficult issues to understand, we might as well first express our understanding and then politely seek confirmation from the client. This approach not only avoids misunderstandings but also demonstrates our professionalism and respect.
During the communication process, we must learn to respect and consider the client’s feelings. Even if the client’s views differ from ours, we should not rush to refute, but first try to understand their position, and then express our views in a tactful manner.
After the communication is over, summarize the meeting content in a timely manner and share it with the client. This not only helps both parties to clarify any possible misunderstandings but also ensures the persistence of information.
Finally, our work is not just to meet isolated needs, but to consider the harmonious operation of the entire system. Sometimes, a requirement may seem reasonable on its own, but it may cause problems when placed in the entire system. Therefore, we need to consider comprehensively, develop detailed test cases, adopt the Behavior-Driven Development method, and involve all team members to discover and solve problems together.
Let’s work together to provide better quality service to our clients and continuously improve our professional capabilities.
