Salespeople, at least the good ones, know the products they sell inside and out. They try and prepare for every question or concern that a customer may have about a given product. Despite all of that, there are going to be many times when a customer challenges you with questions, and that’s a good thing.

Doctors who are good at what they do often talk about how they like it when their patients ask questions, it challenges them and it ensures that they are walking out of the office with peace of mind.

I’m not sure about peace of mind, but the goal of every salesperson should be to see every customer walk out satisfied, and part of the process is making sure you are answering all of their questions.

As we know, every customer is different and what they want is different. Two customers can be buying the same product, but have entirely different reasons for doing so. Let’s say two customers are buying an engagement ring.

The first customer is concerned about the number of diamonds and how secure they are in the setting. He is probably going to ask the salesperson a lot of questions about the setting and what the repair policy is. As a salesperson, it is up to you to answer all of the questions and make sure that he is comfortable that the ring will be taken care of.

The second customer is more concerned with the ability for his fiancé to return and make any changes to the ring that she would like. That could mean getting re-sized, adding a stone or something else. That customer is going to ask questions about those things and the salesperson’s ability to answer those questions could be the key to a sale.

A customer asking questions of a salesperson is a good thing, it’s a sign that they are involved in the sale. It also challenges the salesperson and helps them become better at what they do.

We live in a microwave world and we all want to move as fast as we can, but make sure you are taking the time to answer all of your customers’ questions. They took the time to come in and see you, they deserve to have all of their concerns addressed.

FINAO - Brad Huisken