The Question You’ve Never Asked
Here’s my challenge to you: What do you want to know about your customer that you should know, but have never asked?
This seemingly simple question is actually quite powerful. It forces you to reflect on the gaps in your customer knowledge and pushes you to go beyond surface-level interactions. When you ask customers something they’ve never been asked before, you signal that you’re truly interested in them as people, not just as revenue sources.
Think about it – most businesses ask the same standard questions:
- How did you hear about us?
- What products are you interested in?
- How was your experience today?
These questions have their place, but they rarely lead to the kind of insights that create lasting connections or reveal unexpected opportunities for your business.
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Making Every Day Count
Why wait for a designated Thursday to deepen customer relationships? I suggest making this a daily practice. Each interaction is an opportunity to learn something new about the people who choose to do business with you.
When you consistently seek to understand your customers better, several things happen:
- You identify unmet needs that could lead to new products or services
- You build emotional connections that increase loyalty and retention
- You gather insights that can inform everything from marketing to product development
- You differentiate your business from competitors who stick to transactional relationships
The beauty of asking unexpected questions is that it breaks the routine for both you and your customer. It transforms what might have been a forgettable interaction into a memorable moment.
Putting It Into Practice
Start by training your team to ask at least one unexpected question during customer interactions. These don’t need to be complicated – they just need to be different from what customers typically hear.
For example, instead of “How are you today?” try “What’s been the highlight of your week so far?” Instead of “Is there anything else you need?” ask “What’s one thing we could do better for you next time?”
What do you want to know about your customer that you should know about your customer that you have never asked your customer?
This approach might feel awkward at first, but the rewards are worth it. My clients who have implemented this strategy report not only gathering valuable business intelligence but also creating more enjoyable workdays for their customer-facing teams.
Beyond The Quarterly Reminder
While I appreciate the quarterly reminder that “Get to Know Your Customers Day” provides, I believe the most successful businesses make customer discovery an ongoing mission. They recognize that customer needs, preferences, and expectations evolve constantly.
The companies that stay ahead don’t wait for designated days to connect more deeply – they build it into their daily operations. They create cultures where curiosity about customers is valued and rewarded.
So yes, mark those third Thursdays on your calendar as reminders, but don’t limit yourself to them. Make tomorrow, and every day after that, an opportunity to learn something new about the people who keep your business alive.
After all, in a world where products and services are increasingly similar, it’s the depth of your customer relationships that will ultimately set you apart.
