Sometimes we rush to answer a question when it might help to slow down and earn the solution.
This article is part of our Customer Service Series — reflections and lessons on how service is designed, delivered, and experienced, from Frontline conversations to leadership choices.
Wisely and slow. They stumble that run fast. — William Shakespeare
But the Customer Just Wants the Answer
In Customer Service training sessions, I can’t count how many times people tell me that the Customer just wants the answer.
So they skip over restating the Customer’s enquiry, taking a strategic beat, or expressing empathy.
Not because they’re bad people. They’re usually the nicest people.
But because they truly believe the Customer just wants the answer. So they rush to give the answer.
It happens everywhere:
- In email and chat
- On calls
- In face-to-face conversations
- Even in how some leaders talk to their people
A shift in perspective can help.
It’s Not an Answer, It’s a Solution
When someone tells me it’s better to rush to give the answer, I ask them to reframe the situation.
First — let’s not call it an answer. Let’s call it a solution.
We’re not here to be answer-spitting machines. AI already does that.
And we’re not just dispensing solutions, like a vending machine.
As we listen and speak, our Customer is sizing us up. That gives us the opportunity to earn the Customer’s faith and trust in our solution.
Can you feel the difference between an answer and an earned solution?
A Better Customer Service Mindset
I work to earn the Customer’s faith and trust in my solution.
I don’t just rush to answer their question.
That’s why the first part of any conversation isn’t about solving.
It’s about listening.
And just as importantly, it’s about proving to the Customer that you listened.
Using all those great communication techniques you learn in Customer Service 101 — and then seem to cast aside when actually talking to people.
“Being heard is so close to being loved that for the average person they are almost indistinguishable.” — David Augsburger
When Being Heard Makes the Difference
I saw this play out once in a very practical way.
After an online interview with a procurement team, I later learned I’d been chosen over nine other Trainers for a training engagement.
Why?
The client told me — afterwards of course — that I was the only person who stopped and paused before answering their questions.
They said it made them feel I listened better.
A quality they valued in someone who would be training their people.
So don’t rush to give an answer.
Earn the right to have your solution considered and accepted.
When you do, you’ll not only be more effective — you’ll be more human too.
Thank You for Reading
I regularly share stories, strategies, and insights from our work across Contact Centers, Customer Service, and Customer Experience. If this article resonated with you, I’d be pleased to stay connected.
Feel free to get in touch anytime, or explore more of our work below.
Daniel Ord
[email protected]
www.omnitouchinternational.com
