We want our customers and clients to ask us questions so that we know how to better serve them but you may be hesitant to ask questions yourself. Unfortunately, asking questions is how we gather information, find out what we need to do and even discover what the possibilities are. Whether you need to get better service from your vendors or suppliers or are trying to meet the needs of your customers or clients, it is far better to ask pertinent questions than to try to read minds and make a mistake in your guessing.
Many of us believe that asking questions sends a message that we are inept or that we do not know what we are doing. Perhaps we have been laughed at or feel like asking questions is for those people who lack confidence or knowledge. This is not even close to the truth! As a matter of fact, one of the best ways to get to know someone else or to find out what your customers and/or clients are looking for is to ask them!
Now, encouraging you to ask questions is not my encouraging you to ask silly or pointless questions. I still think you should put some thought and strategy into the questions you ask. If you are talking to a potential customer or client, you want to ask questions that will lead you in the direction you need to go—not ones that will waste time. Be prepared to ask hard questions and wait for answers and do not be afraid to ask your clients and customers to tell you exactly how you can serve them, or how you can make improvements to your products or services. The answers to these questions may be a hard pill to swallow but it will ultimately help you improve your business.