The four types of questions
- Situation — “How do you handle returns today?” Necessary, but keep them few: too many bore the customer.
- Problem — “Where do most defects originate?” They bring the difficulties to the surface.
- Implication — “What happens at the repair shop when a part comes back?” They make the cost of the problem visible.
- Need-payoff — “What would change if returns were cut in half?” They lead the customer to state the value of the solution themselves.
How to prepare them
- For each role on the committee, two or three questions per stage: the head of procurement and quality don’t have the same problems.
- Start from what you already know, so you don’t waste situation questions.
- Prepare the implications above all: they’re the hardest to improvise.
- Let the customer articulate the payoff.
The most common mistakes
- Too many situation questions. The customer feels interrogated.
- Jumping to the solution as soon as a problem surfaces.
- Leading questions. Questions guide; they don’t manipulate.
