It's the Customer, Stupid!: 34 Wake-up Calls to Help You Stay Client-Focused

Chapter 14. Nibble Away at Customer Solutions

It's the customer's motivation to buy, not your need to sell. Motivated customers not only buy more, they are loyal and committed.

It Starts with Asking Great Questions

We need to find out what's on the client's mind—and that starts with asking great questions. These are the open-ended questions we've previously discussed that require a detailed response: "who, what, when, where, why, and how" questions are absolutely critical to success.

Avoid questions that start with "Did, Would, Could, Should, Can, Do, and May" because they will elicit a yes/no response, and you want your client to expound on what's bugging them. If you lead with these words, then be prepared to have a follow-up question to draw them out. These will prompt the client to vent their concerns. It's a lot like paddling a canoe upstream; if you don't keep paddling, you'll go backward. You have to work through situations, and the person asking the questions is the one who's controlling the interview. When clients start posing questions, it's your job to respond with nonthreatening, information-gathering questions. That's the only way to find out the client's motivation.

But what happens when an irate client literally lambasts you with a complaint and then refuses to give you an opportunity to respond? How do you deal with it? In simple terms: Don't let the client overwhelm you. Reinforce that you are not the client's enemy and that you want to help. However, if you're not ...