Use pictures to explain a complicated process quickly and easily.

It is often said that knowledge is power, but it is so much more than that. It’s the medium of exchange in effective communication, and it lays a foundation on which trust can grow. When someone knows what’s going on⏤and why⏤they are much more likely to feel comfortable with the overall process and satisfied with the end result. If your job is to lead someone through an experience that is totally new to them, a great way to give them a clear picture of what to expect is to illustrate the process with a simple flowchart. Just as navigation apps show each individual step in a journey, a flowchart shows each individual step in a process or workflow. It reveals which steps are dependent on each other, where bottlenecks may occur, where you may hit a roadblock, and when you might get sent all the way back to the beginning to start all over again. If there is any aspect of your job that could be considered customer service-related, don’t overlook the power of a flowchart to make your customer feel empowered and informed.

If you’ve spent your entire career becoming an expert in your field, you may actually be less attentive to your customer’s need for information than you even realize. A very common misfire in the world of communication is that between an expert and a non-expert. As a deeply experienced practitioner of your craft, the processes you shepherd people through may be so second nature to you that you fail to explain them in enough detail, or fail to provide enough updates for your clients to feel fully informed along the way. Investing the time up front to illustrate the overall process is almost guaranteed to eliminate frustration, and to answer questions before they arise. Imagery⏤even simple boxes and arrows⏤is often more effective than words, and it’s almost always the case that stripping something down to its bare essentials makes it easier to understand. Don’t let your expertise actually hinder you in being an effective communicator. The steps you skip in your mind because you know the process so well are the very same steps your client wants spelled out because the process is new to them. A flowchart helps them to understand the process before it begins, and follow the process as it unfolds.

Whether you are a real estate agent helping someone buy property, an oncologist taking someone through a complicated course of treatment, or a contractor building a house from the ground up, a flowchart can be an amazing asset that not only informs, but delights, your customers. It’s the ultimate ‘one-and-done’ tool, which saves time and money by cutting down on all the back and forth needed to keep everyone on the same page. A picture really is worth a thousand words, and anyone doing business without the use of a helpful flowchart should seriously consider adding one to their toolbox. Why not?

Copyright 2023 Kesel Wilson (entirely, 100% human-created)

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