When you’re talking to a customer who clearly already knows they have a problem, ask yourself: why hasn’t it already been fixed?
Yes, maybe they have a limited budget. There’s even a chance that they do have the budget, but they just haven’t gotten around to handing their issue yet.
What are the odds that they are just waiting for the right salesperson to come along?
It’s more likely that they have already tried to fix their problem… and failed. They might have had experiences that led them to be suspicious of salespeople offering to solve their problem. If they seem leery, they might have good reasons.
Many salespeople make promises to their customers that they just cannot keep. They may assure them that they have the best solution before they even have a good understanding of what issues need to be addressed. This approach of trying to get a quick win without putting in too much effort rarely works, and is not sustainable in the long run.
Getting to the root causes of a problem requires a different approach.
Taking the time to understand how to address the root causes of customers’ problems can help us to earn their trust and form meaningful long-term relationships.
Rather than just treating the symptoms temporarily, by carefully analyzing a customer’s situation we can offer a cure that addresses the real issue and keeps the problem from reoccurring.
We can gain a holistic view of an organization by speaking with people in different departments and at various levels of seniority. Especially in large companies where data tends to be stored in siloes, an outsider’s viewpoint can help to identify the real problems that a customer should be addressing, instead of just bandaging the symptoms.
When we’re asking around in different areas, we should expect to get very different answers to the same questions. For example, IT professionals could be completely focused on the technical specifications of potential solutions. Even if they are able to speak to certain requirements, they may not have a grasp on budget constraints. On the other hand, an executive with budget authority may be too far removed from the day-to-day work to discuss technical details.
Engaging in meaningful dialogue about what matters most to each individual often takes a lot of preparation. When working with people who have a financial background, we need to discuss numbers and demonstrate a positive return on investment. We may even learn about circumstances that can work to our advantage, such as an initiative to reduce capital expenses.
The key to finding a solution is to believe that a solution exists.
You are much more likely to successfully solve a problem if you believe that a solution exists.
For example, you might spend a lot of time on a Rubik’s Cube, but if you think that you don’t have all of the pieces to a puzzle, you probably will not even make a sincere attempt to solve it.
The same principle applies to working with customers who have complicated problems. We must approach it with the mindset that it’s possible to uncover the root causes and apply a complete solution that will really work for the customer.
How a problem is defined determines the solution.
As we begin to ask customers difficult questions, we can expect to encounter resistance. They may be too busy to talk, and if we do get their attention, they may not be able to clearly articulate their needs.
By being patient and taking the time to ask questions, we can start to put together the pieces of the puzzle. As we continue to speak with more people in different roles, both our understanding and our sphere of influence will increase.
Identifying a solution that addresses the root cause of a problem may sound like a lot of work. Like any other skill, this kind of customer discovery takes thought and practice. It might not actually be as difficult as you think… but it doesn’t happen by accident.
