1 of 20

Welcome to Techniques to Customer Discovery

2 of 20

Customer Discovery Sales Call

In this scenario you will:

  1. Conduct a customer discovery call
  2. Practice active listening techniques
  3. Offer the appropriate product for their needs

Match your customer with the correct product and make the sale!

Begin

3 of 20

Welcome back!. In your last course, we outlined why it’s important to understand your client needs and ways we can uncover those needs with active listening techniques. This 10 min course will have you practice some of those techniques with a simulated sales call.

You can navigate this course with using your keyboard or by clicking on the buttons. To see your progress, use the menu bar. But before we meet our buyer, let’s take a moment to review why customer discovery is important.

Click begin if you’re ready to get started.

Begin

Introduction

4 of 20

Tailored Solutions: By knowing your customer's specific needs, you can offer solutions that are directly relevant to their situation, concerns, and pain points

Building Trust: Showing empathy and understanding of their challenges builds trust. Customers are more likely to buy from someone who genuinely understands and cares about solving their problems. 

Improved Communication: Knowing pain points allows you to speak the customer's language, using terms and addressing concerns that matter to them. This improves communication and the likelihood of closing the sale. 

Handling Objections: Understanding their pain points helps you anticipate and handle objections more effectively. You'll be better equipped to explain why your product is a better fit than competitors. 

Long-Term Relationships: Addressing a customer's real needs creates long-term value, making it more likely they’ll return for future purchases and even recommend your product or service to others.

Back

Next

Review

WHY is it important as a sales rep to understand customer needs? Click each item. You must explore all before moving forward.

Button is gated.

5 of 20

  • Paraphrasing and summarizing
    • Example: "So, if I understand correctly, your main challenge is..."
  • Using verbal and non-verbal cues to show engagement
    • Example: Nodding, maintaining eye contact, and using affirmative sounds like "I see" or "mm-hmm" 
  • Asking clarifying or probing questions
    • Use "What," "How," "Why" questions 
    • Example: Instead of "Do you need a new monitor?" ask "What challenges are you facing with your current monitors?

Back

Next

Review

Using active listening or reflective listening is an excellent way to discover customer needs.

Active listening is listening to understand, rather than listening to respond. It is being fully engaged while another person is talking to you.

Some techniques of active listening are seen here.

6 of 20

Remember

The goal to active listening is to eliminate any misunderstandings and establish clear communication between you and your client. 

Back

Next

Remember

Now if you’re ready to begin the sales call, click the next button. Our buyer is waiting for us!

7 of 20

Hi there. It’s good you’re here. I’m Leslie, the IT Decision Maker (ITDM). We are a large advertising agency and we are in need new monitors. We take pride in keeping our carbon footprint to a minimum. I hope you have some products that would work for us.

Were you listening? What has Leslie

already told us? Select the best answer.

Her company is looking for new monitors

Q1. Meeting the buyer

She runs a large advertising agency

Sustainability is important.

All of the above

8 of 20

Good Listening! Yes she told us all those things in her introduction. Be sure you make note of all her needs during the call.

“Great! Given that sustainability is important to you, here are some monitors that Lenovo offers.”

R1A

 “Okay, I can definitely help with that. First, can you tell me who will be using the monitors and how they will be used?”

Moving forward. How would you begin the conversation with Leslie now?

9 of 20

That was almost right. She told all those things in her introduction. Be sure you are giving her your undivided attention and actively listening.

R1B

Moving forward. How would you begin the conversation with Leslie now?

“Great! Given that sustainability is important to you, here are some monitors that Lenovo offers.”

 “Okay, I can definitely help with that. First, can you tell me who will be using the monitors?”

10 of 20

Correct! When starting a sales conversation, it’s best to ask clarifying questions that encourage the customer to provide more details about their needs.

R2A

Let’s see what Leslie has to say

Next

11 of 20

Try again. Remember Instead of going directly into the devices, ask probing questions that will require your customer to discuss their needs and priorities in detail.

R2B

 “Okay, I can definitely help with that. First, can you tell me who will be using the monitors?

 “Okay, I hear that sustainability is important to you. Could you tell me how they will be used?

What is a better response?

12 of 20

We’re looking to refresh our monitors for content creators. They need mainstream-type monitors with premium 4K displays, but cost is definitely a concern.

How do you respond to Leslie ?

We have some great monitors with 4K displays that are cost effective.. Here are a few that I would recommend for your content creators.

Question 3

Ok I hear you would like monitors with a 4K display, and cost is important. Are there any other features that are also important to include?

13 of 20

Correct. It’s important to keep asking questions so you can ensure have covered ALL the customer’s pain points before recommending the correct product.

R3A

Let’s see if Leslie has any more information to provide us on her needs.

Next

14 of 20

Try again. It’s important to make sure the customer’s needs are fully understood before suggesting a product.

R3B

Tell me more. So far I hear that cost and sustainability is important as well the need for a 4K display.

What is a better response?

Are there any other concerns you may have?

15 of 20

Yes a few have been getting headaches from looking at their screens all day. Maybe there’s something that can help with that?

Which feature should you position to address Leslie's pain point (eye strain)?

4K resolution for stunning UHD performance and reduced eye strain.

Quesiton 4

 Full function stand with adjustable lift, tilt, and swivel options.

 Natural Low Blue Light technology.

16 of 20

Choice 1: Try again. This feature may help with eye strain, but it is not the best choice.

R4

Choice 2: Try again. While this feature may improve comfort, it is not the best solution for eye strain.

Choice 3: Correct. This feature reduces harmful blue light and helps alleviate eye strain.

Next

17 of 20

Let’s reflect on this call. Leslie told us a lot. Were you listening? Select all the features that she requires for her new monitors.

Q5 Reflect

Natural blue light technology is a plus.

Full function stand with adjustable lift, tilt, and swivel options.

Sustainability is important and wants to keep cost down

She is looking for a mainstream-type monitor with 4K display.

18 of 20

Not quite. Try again. There is one item here that she did not ask for.

R5A Reflect

Natural blue light technology is a plus.

Full function stand with adjustable lift, tilt, and swivel options.

She is looking for a mainstream-type monitor with 4K display.

Sustainability is important and wants to keep cost down

19 of 20

Great job on this customer discovery!

Remember the key to successful customer discovery is active listening.

Keep asking clarifying questions to dig deeper to find tailored solutions to their need. This builds trust, improves communication, and helps to handle objections more effectively.

Addressing a customer's real needs creates long-term value, making it more likely they’ll return for future purchases and even recommend your product or service to others. 

R5A Reflect

20 of 20

Intro to next course

I’ll see you next time for Advanced Discovery Techniques where we explore:

  • ways to handle reluctant or difficult clients
  • uncovering unstated needs
  • Reading non-verbal cues