"Oh, I do that."

During my haircut, I overheard a conversation between my and another stylist about how they advertised their services for eyebrow microblading on Instagram.

My hair stylist said that she posts before and after pictures on Instagram. However, she really needs to show three pictures: one before, one directly after, and one four weeks after.

The other stylist responded immediately, "Oh, I do that." It was obvious from the way she responded, though, that she didn't take three pictures like she was claiming.

Being in the customer feedback biz, I can't really fault the other stylist. Her reaction of, "Oh, I do that," is the most common response to customer feedback.

The Assumption: We're Not Good Enough

It seems like when customers or potential customers give us feedback, the most natural reaction is to assume they are telling us because we are not as good as we should be. No one wants to admit that they came up short.

A Source of Innovative Ideas

The truth is that while customer feedback can highlight your shortcomings, it can also give you interesting, unique ideas. The important thing to remember is you CANNOT afford to ever get defensive of customer feedback. Once you do, your customers will stop giving this crucial insight because it will feel unwelcome.

Ineffective Confrontations

In healthcare, I've seen this time and again. An executive director will approach a patient and ask, "Why would you say this?" The patient then backs off their comments to resolve the confrontation. Nobody learns from the problems and they are doomed to repeat themselves.

Be aware that it can be difficult to hear customer feedback sometimes. Do your best to listen and understand without getting defensive. That's what my hair stylist does, and that's why my hair is so on point today. :)