Do you get tired of answering simple questions?

two types of questions

There are the fun questions, and there are the uninspiring questions.

Let’s have fun and start with the uninspiring ones.

As a customer, I sometimes need to ask questions to different companies. But I don’t want to do it. I feel forced to do it.

Why do I feel forced? Because of earlier bad experiences? Or is it because I really don’t want to contact anyone else, since I believe I can manage myself? I want to have things under control and I think I am super smart 😊

“I’d rather solve it myself”

Why self?

It’s quicker… or I need to feel independent.

Maybe because I don’t want to feel stupid for not understanding? If the question is simple, I should be able to know the answer myself, and then I feel even more stupid if I have to ask someone.

“I couldn’t make it myself, now I have to stand here and wait for someone who is better than me”.

 – I call these the uninspiring questions. It’s when I have a negative feeling in my body.

Let’s talk about the fun and positive questions!

There are also moments when I feel like a genius! Woho!

That’s when I ask the fun questions. Like when I found something that is unusual, something that a normal person would not notice or find out. Something that led to this conclusion because of what I did. I really want to report it, and make my statement about it. I feel smart.

When I have those moments, I smile and think for myself “look what I did”. I feel excited when I send my question. The tension raises when I click send and await a reply because I know that the question is so odd, that nobody could have expected it. That’s fun!

Maybe it’s fun because I get to learn something new? Because I did something creative? That’s a positive feeling in my body.

 

How do companies work with the two types of questions?

They normally split the two types of question into “frequent questions” for the uninspiring ones, and “questions to escalate” for the fun ones. What a categorization….

The frequent questions.

The ones where I feel a little stupid. They often end up at a support department who send me a standardized text which makes no comfort to my soul, and really don’t make me feel better about myself.  Or they gently tell me to consider the FAQ…

They do certainly not handle the person behind the question, or the feelings of that person. They would rather have their focus on the technical part, or the information itself – Their targets are to close the ticket asap, and answer the next in line.

It’s nothing wrong with that. I just want a quick answer. I expect a quick simple answer so I can continue with my life. If I wanted to talk about the weather I would go elsewhere.

– But what if I got just a tiny personal message that made me feel just a little bit smarter? What a feeling that would be!

Meanwhile, it’s the repetitive questions and `the usual replies that makes the support a routine without feelings. Nobody wants to sit and answer the same thing every day for the rest of their lives. No customer would like to ask about boring questions.

 

“How do I reset my password?” Argh!!

The solution is simple. Learn how to rule your FAQ.

 

The fun questions? How are they handled?

Worst case: The support replies something like: ”Hi stupid, it’s not supposed to work like that, and it’s not allowed, and our policy says that you should not do like that”

Those kind of replies makes me dream about that company going bankrupt.

I guess it doesn’t matter if this kind of question is answered or not. I just wanted to send it, with no strings attached. They can do whatever they want with it. But I expect some credit. The best answer would be: ” Wow, this is the best question we ever got, and we have sent it to the management, thanks”.

-That would make me happy and I would contact them again, if any!

 

I love all types of questions.

As an entrepreneur, I have learned to appreciate all types of questions, no matter what. I believe I can learn something from anyone and I always think: How can I make sure this question is never asked again?

If you also have this mindset. Please feel free to connect to me or my brand, online. You will increase the value of your support, and you will make both the support team and the customer happier.

Your next lesson, and your homework, is to say thank you.

Say thanks for all incoming questions, no matter which type. Because it’s an effort for the customer to ask a question. It’s your job as a company, or employee, to make an effort, and answer nice and polite in return. See my post about efforts here.

 

“Thank you. It’s the cheapest and quickest reply”

 

  • Author: Magnus