Five tips on how to anticipate customers’ wishes and demands

Category: | Quality

Published on May 06, 2008 by Peter De Brabandere

Schedule a formal conversation to draw up a list of all wishes and demands. Denote to the customer how crucial this meeting is to assure a good cooperation. It’s not just a “casual” trifle.
Ask open questions and not just questions that can be replied to with a few words. Dare to keep on asking but obviously you want to stay polite. Should you encounter a customer or prospect refusing to answer your questions, chances are real that you are being used, to get a second or third quote for example.
Ask them how their organization deals with quality. This can reveal an interesting opportunity to see what they will really value in a cooperation.
Paraphrase. You restate what the customer tells you in your own words. This has 2 advantages: for one thing the customer will feel understood and appreciated and on the other hand you will prevent misapprehension.
Make notes, make notes, make notes. By meticulously making notes you’re not only showing your interest in what the customer tells you. It also helps you remember what is important. Studies have shown that without making notes people forget over 50% of what has been said in less than 5 minutes.