The Gauntlet
Building enduring customer relationships relies on discovering what a customer truly values. Proposing two or three alternative solutions to resolve a customer’s need communicates your appreciation for their business, and ultimately increases their satisfaction with their final decision.
Here’s why proposing choices reveals what your customer values:
- Your customer’s control over the purchase process is strengthened. The promise of choice increases the likelihood that your customer will find the best solution for them, boosting their sense of fulfilment while minimizing their purchase risk. This control often accelerates their purchase decision.
- Exploring choices helps your customer clarify what they value most. Evaluating alternatives with your customer helps them prioritize what is most important for them, while you discover what they value most and why; solutions that contribute to their goal achievement and progress are always more valuable. Also, discussing optional ways forward coveys your respect for the relationship rather than a focus on getting an order as quickly as possible.
- Your commitment to creating value for the customer builds trust. Your expertise and experience are revealed through your discussion of choices with the customer, which also demonstrates your knowledge of their business and commitment to its success. Value is created, and trust is strengthened, when your solutions become investments in their future rather than one-time transactions.
How consistently do you propose choices to reveal what your customer values?
