Perception is Real; reality is not

What a play on words! At first it may seem like this, but I assure you that, in the real world, it is an absolutely true statement that you must memorize and repeat daily.

Reality can sometimes confuse our senses. We’ve all been entertained or confused by optical illusions that trick our eyes into seeing things that aren’t really there. We have witnessed a ventriloquist launching his voice or making sounds that seem to emanate from a particular source, distant from where we might have expected. Have you had the experience of not being sure if something was extremely hot or cold to the touch? While traveling in a mountainous area, are you always sure whether you are going up or down a slope? If he smells asparagus while chewing on green beans, he will surely believe that he is eating asparagus. The point is that it is entirely possible to fool our senses.

So what is real? In the hit movie Forrest Gump, you would have “sworn under oath” that Lieutenant Dan didn’t have legs, but we all know that esteemed actor Gary Sinise does have two. So if what appears to be reality is actually not real, what is? Our perception of reality is what is really real to us.

Perception is actually more important than reality in many cases. In the business world, particularly in marketing and advertising, perception is reality. Marketers spend large sums of money to alter your perception of their product. Their goal is for you to believe that their advertising is real and, ultimately, encourage you to buy their product, perceiving that it is right for you.

In the active area of ​​providing superior customer service, the customer’s perception of a problem is often a very different matter than the actual circumstances might describe. The professional customer service specialist must actively listen to intelligently discern what the customer is really saying, regardless of the facts of the matter. Oftentimes, a tense situation can be defused simply by being sensitive to the customers’ point of view and perception of problems, and then suggesting solutions based on those perceptions. Insensitivity and indifference will fan the flame of customer anger and possibly lead to the loss of a customer.

Knowledge of the facts is necessary, but sensitivity to customer perception is critical. Accelerate your listening and learning skills. Listen carefully to what the customer is really telling you, and then act. Paying more attention to customer perception will boost your customer service reputation and subsequent sales figures.