Calibrated questions
- What is the biggest challenge you face?
- What about this is important to you?
- How can I help to make this better for us?
- How would you like me to proceed?
- What is it that brought us into this situation?
- How can we solve this problem?
- What’s the objective? / What are we trying to accomplish here?
- How am I supposed to do that?
Bad signs
- You're right
- I'll try (I plan to fail)
Say no 4 times
- How am I supposed to do that?
- Your offer is very generous, I’m sorry, that just doesn’t work for me
- I’m sorry but I’m afraid I just can’t do that.
- "No" delivered with a downward inflection and a tone of regard
Tone of voice != message? => Use labels:
- Customer: "Yes . . ."
- You: "I heard you say, ‘Yes,’ but it seemed like there was hesitation in your voice."
- Customer: "Oh, it’s nothing really."
- You: "No, this is important, let’s make sure we get this right."
- Customer: "Thanks, I appreciate it."