Questions with no Answers

At times, people ask me questions, and then before I can gather my wits and answer, they lapse into a monologue that tells me what the answer should be. If I take the cue and answer the way they expect me to, its a 'win-lose'.

Win for them, because they hear what they want to. Lose for me because I feel like the idiot. Though there are times, when I have this wide grin in my head. Guess then I should tag it a 'win-win'. They've got their answer and I am grinning.

Customer exchanges too can at times, turn out like the exchange above. The customer gets into a retail store to buy a product and then lapses into a monologue, telling the shop floor person what's the best buy. This calls for 'smart' judgement on the part of the sales person. If the choice of the customer is a good one, breathe a sigh of releif. If it isn't, decide whether to correct or not. I'd say, in most cases, don't. After all, there's no guarantee he will heed to you and even if he does, God forbid, there be a problem later, the customer will squarely place the blame on you.

So I say, let him talk. And let him buy. His choice. Just like I let the other person have the answer he's told me. The one he seeks.