What Your Customer Isn't Telling You

Ask Open Questions Instead of Leading Questions

Learners identify their own knowledge gaps before a call and practice framing questions that allow for unexpected answers. They learn to eliminate leading language like 'wouldn't it' and can recover gracefully if they accidentally steer the customer. At the end, they can construct honest questions that reveal the underlying customer problem rather than setting up a product pitch.

Follow Up When an Answer Is Vague

Learners analyze vague responses to distinguish between evasion, ignorance, and protective loyalty toward colleagues. They practice repeating vague words back and giving ranges to get to concrete instances. At the end, they can pin down a fuzzy response to a specific count, date, or event without making the customer feel interrogated.

Explore How the Problem Affects the Customer

Learners investigate the operational and personal costs of a problem using the customer's own units and arithmetic. They practice asking about knock-on consequences and letting the customer voice their own rough estimates. At the end, they can determine if a problem is genuinely worth solving or if they should walk away from a low-priority issue.

Confirm the Customer's Most Important Need

Learners synthesize discovery notes into a concise three-sentence summary that uses the customer's exact words and numbers. They practice checking for corrections rather than mere agreement and forcing a single priority among competing stakeholders. At the end, they can establish a clear, verified priority that shapes the upcoming proposal and prevents the deal from stalling.