The worst deaf person is the one who doesn't want to listen: The fear of complaints and the gold mine you ignore

"There is no worse deaf person than the one who doesn't want to listen." It's a phrase that resonates with a profound truth, especially in the business world. We all know that the customer is king and that their voice is the key to success. However, in the whirlwind of everyday life, the thought of dealing with complaints and negative feedback can be paralyzing.

Operating a service business (such as a restaurant, supermarket, gym, or medical center) is so intense that often, even though we know we should listen to customers, the mere thought of addressing their complaints makes us want to avoid it. Feedback is strongly associated with negative comments, and that perception causes us to keep our distance, turning listening into a seemingly painful process.

But here's the truth: behind every complaint is a gold mine. A complaint is a warning sign that tells us where we're failing, allowing us to resolve a small problem before it turns into a bigger crisis or, worse, the loss of a valuable customer.

Excuses That Keep Us From the Truth

When fear takes over, we look for justifications for not listening. These excuses are common and sound like this:

• "I'm already in touch with the business, and I listen to my customers." This is one of the most common phrases, particularly in businesses with a large customer base. The problem is that this listening, although well-intentioned, is often biased. Attention is paid to the most extreme customers, those who shout the loudest, or those who complain directly to the owner. The feedback received is neither representative nor specific enough to assess the most relevant aspects of the business.

• "I use social media reviews." Reviews are undoubtedly important. They are the public reputation of your brand and the first thing a new customer looks at before deciding to visit you. However, the amount received is not enough. Reviews don't have a representative response volume, nor do they offer the detail necessary to understand what's really happening in the customer experience every day. Relying solely on them is to believe you're listening to the customer, when in reality you're not.

Listening can and should be a painless process.

Fortunately, the process of obtaining feedback no longer has to be painful. Today, there are tools that make feedback instant, easy to collect, and, most importantly, balanced. You receive both positive and negative comments in a representative manner, allowing you to have a complete view of the reality of your business.

It's not just about complaints; it's about obtaining high-quality data at the moment the experience happens. This gives you the information you need to optimize your operations, mitigate risks, and make strategic decisions based on the "why" behind the numbers, not just sales.

In the end, listening to customers isn't a secondary task. It's as crucial as managing finances or inventory. Customer satisfaction is one of the most important drivers of revenue, as it is the direct verdict on whether or not a customer wants to spend their money with your business again. Being blind to the issue is the worst mistake a business can make if it wants to be successful in the long term.