Questions are very valuable tools in customer service. Questions can be used to outline values, clarify statements, and decipher objections. Questions can also be used to lead and direct conversations. An easy way to elicit information from customers is by asking questions. However, knowing the right question to ask and when to ask is just as important.
People are different and communicate differently. While some people are explicit with their communication style, others respond in ways that leave their true perspectives vague. It is therefore essential to clarify their perspectives, values and possibly, positively influence their perceptions of your products or organisation.
Examples of questions that help determine values could be “Mr. Jay, what is the most important thing to you about buying that particular colour?” “What exactly satisfies you about shopping for your provisions in our store, Mrs. Susan?”
Another importance of questions is that we can use them to ensure that you understand the message the customer is trying to communicate. When you receive a message, you give it back in your own words to be sure you understand the message the customer is passing. This is called ‘paraphrasing’. Here’s an example, “Mr. John, if I understand you, you ordered for a sky blue tie but you got a navy blue. Is that correct?” As a rule of thumb, if there is something you don’t understand-just ask.
Ask only positive questions!
Seemingly innocent questions can inadvertently cause negative reactions especially if someone is already upset. Questions have to be phrased carefully to avoid irritating our customers or intensifying an already negative situation. A lot of tact is needed when asking questions because negatively phrased question has potential effects of causing communication breakdown. An example is “can’t you see the item you’re asking for over there? “ A better way of conveying the same message could be “can you see the item over there?” Better yet, you could tell your customer “let me show you where that item is?” A better way of asking “isn’t this what you asked for?” could simply be “is this what you asked for?” Did you notice that by eliminating the “not”, you have given the question a positive impression.
Also research has shown that questions starting with “why?” is usually perceived as intrusive or even worse as being challenging. Questions starting with why makes people state their values and reasons for doing what they do- this, some people may not take lightly to. So a question like “why don’t you want this model?” could be rephrased as “what about this model do you not like?”
When leading and directing conversations, we must keep in mind that there are two major types of questions. Open ended questions and closed ended questions. Open ended questions are used to elicit information while closed ended questions are used to clarify statements and direct the conversation.
Open ended questions usually start with “what”, “why”, “how”, and “when” and they give the customer an opportunity to freely express him/herself. A question like “what type of car do you want?” gives the customer the freedom of giving a detailed description of all the specifications s/he wants in a car.
On the other hand, closed ended questions usually start with “do”, “can”, and “shall”. Closed ended questions normally require answers like “yes” or “no”- an example is this, “Do you want the red car?” Closed ended question can also require you to choose between limited options for example “Would you prefer a Ford or a Toyota? Basically, closed ended questions elicit short and straight-to-the-point answers and they are very useful in controlling the length and duration of a conversation.
Practice makes perfect. Keep practicing; keep honing your questioning skills.
Keep wowing your customers! Until we meet again.
Anderson
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