Telling Stories
There are times when we sit down at our friend’s computer shop drinking coffee and just listening. Of course we listen to our friend because he has a lot to teach us about computers but we also listen to his customers too.
The one’s I find to be particularly interesting are those who bring their computers in for repair. These are mostly people who have no clue about computers. Some are highly articulate and successful in their own businesses while others are just ordinary people. There are retirees, students, mums and dads … just ordinary people who don’t understand much about computers.
I find that the stories they tell our friend are really interesting. There are times when I get quietly frustrated with them - why don’t they just give our friend the facts? Why do they have to keep waffling on and wasting time when just the facts would get our friend on the job quicker?
These people have a need to resort to stories. They don’t have the technical background and so they don’t have the technical words to use. To them there are no short sharp facts - there is only the story. And our friend understands that.
To these people there is only the story because the story helps them understand what happens and so the clues that our friend needs are embedded in the story.
Do you listen to the stories when the customers and clients of your small business come to you for help?
Or do you miss the clues because you don’t understand that telling you a story is the only way that many of your customers and clients can express their need?
October 18th, 2005 at 9:31 am
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