Before you respond to a client problem, pause and ask what they actually want to accomplish. Understanding their real goals, not just the surface complaint, leads to solutions that work and get paid.
Understanding client motivations is important. Aligning with their goals, what is it that they want to accomplish? And then use that alignment to get to the outcomes that they want and you want. You want to get to their outcomes because that's when they pay you, when you're done work, right? When you finish the work for them. Stay empathetic and ask questions with a sincere attention that you want to understand what's going on. It could be difficult. They catch you in a bad moment. Another customer's unhappy, an employee just left, a contractor did not deliver. But it is your obligation to dig a little bit deeper before you react.
