To identify the needs of a customer who is ready to discuss a product choice, ask open-ended questions about the task, conditions of use, important features, and budget. Let them finish their answer. Then clarify any unclear words and repeat the main requirements to check your understanding.
Make the outcome of the conversation a list of product requirements agreed with the customer. Use it for the next steps in selecting a product. Discuss the product voluntarily, without creating a record about the person: do not collect contact details, record the conversation, or save individual responses.
Prepare questions for your product category
A store owner should prepare a short list of questions for the categories their sales staff handle. Replace the general word “product” with a specific name: backpack, lamp, shoes. Keep questions about its purpose and requirements for use.
The sample lines below are examples for conversation and do not have to be used in a set order. Choose the next question based on what the customer has already told you. If they named a budget or explained the task at the start, do not ask them to repeat their answer just to work through the list.
| Topic | Sample question | What to clarify in the answer |
|---|---|---|
| Task | “What do you need this product for?” | What the customer plans to do with it. |
| Place of use | “Where do you plan to use it?” | The conditions the customer considers important when choosing. |
| Time of use | “When do you plan to use it?” | Circumstances of use mentioned by the customer. |
| Features | “Which features are most important to you?” | Specific product requirements. |
| Budget | “What amount do you have in mind?” | The amount or range they named for the selection. |
Ask one question at a time
Open-ended questions encourage fuller answers than a simple “yes” or “no.” For example, start with “What matters to you in a backpack?” After the answer, clarify the requirements they mentioned.
Focus each question on one idea. Instead of asking “What size and material do you need?”, ask about the size first. Listen to the answer, then move on to the material. In the same way, keep questions about place of use, features, and budget separate.
Do not ask about requirements the customer has already explained clearly. If the answer is incomplete, clarify that specific part: “What size do you mean?”
Listen to the answer and clarify what the words mean
Do not interrupt the customer or finish their sentences for them. While they are speaking, focus on the answer and wait until they finish before preparing your own response.
Clarify words such as “comfortable,” “compact,” or “roomy” in relation to the product’s purpose. For example: “What exactly needs to fit inside?” If the customer mentions an important feature without explaining it, ask them to tell you more.
Do not replace clarification with your own assumption. When someone says, “I need a small backpack,” ask what size they need. Do not add requirements about weight, color, or price to their answer.
Check your understanding before selecting a product
Briefly repeat the key points the customer named: the task, conditions of use, features, and budget. Ask, “Have I understood you correctly?” If they correct your summary, clarify the relevant requirement and repeat the corrected part.
Use only the requirements the customer stated in your summary. Do not attribute hidden motives to them. Once they confirm, move on to product selection and compare the features of the product you propose with the agreed requirements.
Hypothetical example of a conversation about a backpack
All the answers and the amount in this example are invented to illustrate the conversation.
- Salesperson: “What do you need a backpack for?”
Customer: “To carry a laptop and documents.” - Salesperson: “Where do you plan to use it?”
Customer: “For daily trips to work.” - Salesperson: “Which features are most important to you?”
Customer: “A separate laptop compartment and space for documents.” - Salesperson: “What size laptop needs to fit?”
Customer: “One with a 15.6-inch screen.” - Salesperson: “What amount do you have in mind?”
Customer: “Up to 2,000 hryvnias.”
The salesperson summarizes: “You need a backpack for daily trips, with a separate compartment for a 15.6-inch laptop and space for documents, for up to 2,000 hryvnias. Have I understood you correctly?” After the customer answers, use the agreed requirements to make a selection. If they change anything, clarify the change first.
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