How do you have a valuable conversation with your customer without technical knowledge?
Many companies struggle with technological change, but surprisingly, technical knowledge is often not even necessary to have a good conversation. It's all about listening and bringing out your customer's real pain points. As a human being, you have two ears and one mouth for a reason – that means you have to listen twice before you open your mouth.
Just hearing the problems often creates a connection. Your conversation partner feels heard, which in turn lays a good foundation for trust.
'Taking the first step on an unknown path is often the hardest, but if you don't dare to start, you will never discover what new possibilities lie beyond the horizon.'
What is striking is that interlocutors are sometimes attached to the daily problems they struggle with. After all, these problems make them relevant in their organization. But just imagine: what happens to these employees when those problems are solved?
Tomorrow's employees don't want today's problems. They want to move forward. They have a completely different interpretation of their work, because they grow up with technology that evolves at lightning speed. For them, that's the new normal. And somewhere there will be a transition point – a moment when innovation becomes inevitable. That point is often driven by external factors, such as:
- Legislation that forces companies to work more efficiently, sustainably or safely.
- Problems that become too big or too boring, so that no one wants to solve them anymore.
- Ageing, in which knowledge and experience disappear when employees retire.
And, of course, the decline in profits, because old ways of working no longer yield the returns they once did.
The question is not if that transition will come, but when. And which partner will jump on it first?
Having this conversation simply starts with curiosity. Ask your customer:
"Where does it take the most time and effort in your day-to-day processes? What would you like to do differently today if everything were possible?"
You don't need to know the technical solution; It's about thinking about a different way of working together. Sometimes that's enough to get the conversation moving – and thus the first step towards innovation.
Because if you don't have that conversation with your customer, someone else will. And then you'll be the one left behind while others take advantage of the opportunities that are up for grabs.
