5 Ways To Improve Your Active Listening Skills

Listening is one of the most important skills a newbie can have. Not only do you need to know how to listen but also how to listen effectively. The average listener listens for 10 minutes per day, while the best listeners listen for up to an hour each day. Big and small businesses alike are yearning for a more strategic and effective listening experience. What’s the secret? How can we improve our listening skills so that we're better-equipped toise ness with our customers? Here are five ways:

Take frequent breaks.

We often get that feeling that we’re not doing enough with our day, so we set a goal of taking a break every 45 minutes to an hour. However, it’s important to note that short breaks are good for your brain. It’s when we overdo it that we lose our concentration and our brain cells are released during our breaks which can lead to “lazy” thinking and a reduced ability to process information. At the end of the day, we must take frequent breaks in order to avoid exhaustion and make sure that our day isn’t negatively impacted by our “broken” brain.

Ask for feedback.

We are our customers’ biggest cheerleaders. After all, we want to make sure that our sales teams and management are up to speed with all the latest customer insights. However, it’s important that we don’t fall into the trap of only giving feedback when we’re unhappy. We all have the right to be heard and to give honest feedback. The trick is to ask for feedback when we’re ready, when we have the information we need, and when it’s constructive.

Be proactive with follow-up.

It’s one thing to ask customers for their feedback when they’re first starting out. It’s another to keep asking them to give you their thoughts over and over again when they’ve made a purchase, dealt with a service issue, or just encountered a problem. It’s better to be proactive and ask for feedback when something doesn’t appear to be going well before things start to get out of control.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Sometimes all it takes is the simple word “help” from a colleague to get us started on the right track. Sometimes all it takes is a word of warning from a friend or colleague to make us step back and take notice. The best listeners are the ones who are able to ask for help when they need it and then step back and take notice when they receive it.

Conclusion

Active listening is essential to building and improving any relationship. It can easily become a habit and you can start to notice an increase in the quality of your listening when you’re with your customers. Don’t forget that you can always ask a fellow listener for help. It’s truly brave who stands out when it’s just the two of you in a room. So, use these tips to improve your listening skills and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a better listener in no time at all!