Ask questions and listen to successfully help customers make the right purchase

During this holiday season, many business owners deal with customer service challenges as the buying public is in hyper-shopping mode. To help meet those challenges here are a few pointers that could result in higher long-term sales.

First, remember shoppers have two types of needs — tangible and intangible. The tangible is the physical need or the product function they seek. The intangible needs relate to the dreams the customers are really looking to fulfill with the product purchase. To enhance the shopping experience, ask the customer open-ended questions to learn what the customer needs. Once the customer is talking, make sure you summarize the comments for clarification and confirmation. Then go for the sale by showing the customer a product or pointing out features or benefits that meet his needs.

The second thing to remember is not all shoppers are alike. There are four basic types of shoppers: adversary, protective, accepting and pragmatic. The adversarial shopper is in charge and feels you are there to assist him since he is always in a hurry. Work with the adversary shopper using a confident voice. He does not like small talk, so move right to the open-ended questions, listen, confirm his needs and then pitch the product that best fits. The salesperson's knowledge of the latest trends and product features and benefits are important to this shopper. If he senses you are unsure, the adversary shopper will move to the next store.

The protective shopper is afraid to make any major purchase decisions. So your staff needs to realize she will take a longer time to decide and really analyze the products before being convinced the one she is buying is the ultimate choice. Here the sales staff needs to deal with the customer in a patient manner. By stressing the product's benefits that meet the customer's needs (discovered during the questioning) the match can be made for the consumer. Here again, your knowledge of the product is important to the consumer. So your ability to communicate how it meets the needs will be the key to the decision. Also stress how your store stands behind the product.

The third customer, the accepting person, is an easier consumer to deal with this holiday season. She wants to be liked and to ensure her purchase will be also -- so she has a strong interest in the newest items and wants to talk to you about them. With her positive personality traits, you will need to control this consumer and move her through the purchase cycle by asking close-ended questions instead of the normal open-ended questions. Make sure you weave your suggested product indirectly into the conversation; a direct sales approach is a turn-off. Stress to this shopper the product's benefits, tell how others have used the product and show first how the intangible needs are met, then move to the tangible needs.

The pragmatic shopper is the final type and wants you to bring him the solution to his needs. This type of shopper often sees shopping as a time waster, so your ability to size up his needs quickly through questioning and presenting the products will result in a quick sale. To deal with this type of customer, you should never be informal. Listen to his answers without interruption. When you present the choice, make sure you know and can explain the product's benefits and features. Then let him decide on the purchase.

Remembering how to size-up a potential buyer during this holiday season and then providing the necessary customer service ultimately will result in customer loyalty and long-term increased sales. The keys are asking the right questions and listening.

Further support is available from your local Small Business & Technology Development Center to help you with customer service, marketing and other business management issues.

- Richard Proffer, MU Extension Business Development Specialist, Cape Girardeau County

This story was featured in the Dec. 2009 newsletter