When we ask customers what they are trying to do, we learn how to talk to the next set of customers more accurately.
Sales and marketing find the right people, persuade them we can help and get them over the line. Support then fixes problems and stops small issues turning into big ones. That division of labour makes sense. It is also where a lot of companies lose momentum.
That’s because there is often a gap in between.
The moment after the deal is done, it’s easy to switch from proactive to reactive. To stop asking questions and start waiting for tickets.
But customers are not only learning how to use what they bought. They are also deciding whether they made a good decision. Who is asking, proactively, “How’s it going?”
We can do it in a lightweight way, with a short check-in after some meaningful milestone. Questions which are often suggested are: “What is the next thing you are trying to achieve with this?” and “What is getting in the way?” They highlight gaps in training, unclear expectations and missing features. They also tell customers that we are still paying attention.
Someone has to own this experience, but it is also a marketing opportunity. When we ask customers what they are trying to do, we learn how to talk to the next set of customers more accurately.