Ask the Right Question When Faced with A Client’s Problem

 

When contacted by a client with a problem, most salespeople ask a few questions to determine the exact nature of the client’s issue.
This is completely normal, and good customer service, but sales consultant Michael W. McLaughlin believes that there is actually one question that needs to be asked. According to McLaughlin, asking the client just how he or she knew the nature of the problem or issue will help you uncover helpful facts and, allow you to diagnose the real underlying problem in certain situations

“The best consultants, and the top services sellers, resist the urge to talk about what they will do until they understand how the client identified the problem,” Laughlin writes. “The point of asking “how” questions is not to lay waste to a client’s analysis; nor is the intent to showcase your superior analytical skills. Instead, such questions offer an important way for you and the client to clarify the situation and give everyone an idea of how you’d work together.”

“How” questions can open insightful dialogue with the client. To learn just how to utilize these questions, click here to read McLaughlin’s article.