Lesson Number IV

CHECKLIST FOR MINING ACCOUNTS

(Or Stuff I Really Need to Know But for some reason I have not asked)

In order to use this checklist effectively you must have mastered the above three lessons. Don’t waste your time going any further until you 1/Have a Relationship, 2/ Know Our Business and 3/ Know Their Business

Checklist

Before I get into the checklist, I think some basic information might be more helpful. Formal Check List will come tomorrow.

Open-ended questions allow us to gather information about our customer’s needs without making it sound like an interrogation. The customer’s responses also deliver new information on which to base our next question. Never answer your own question. (What do you think about that? Wasn’t it a good idea?) This sends a message to your customer that you are more interested in you than them. Also, get in the habit of pausing after you ask an open-ended question and wait for your customer to reply. Force yourself to be quiet and wait for them to answer fully without interruption. Also, a great technique to use is to repeat the last few words of their answers in the form of a question. “Who do you use now for this lane?” “ I use CH Robinson” “CH Robinson?” This will ordinarily get them to justify to you or expand upon why they use them without you having to ask them a direct, interrogative type question. Practice this technique in your social conversations at home. This is a skill that will benefit you greatly once you are comfortable with it. This technique is to be used sparely as it can come off as if “there is an echo in the room” LOL. You should be very careful of manipulative or direct questions like “If I can show you that we can save you money and time, that would interest you, wouldn’t it?” This question only solicits a brief yes or no answer and that is not what we are looking for. If you feel you must ask a question like this drop the “wouldn’t it”. It softens a direct question into a feel-finding question but it is still close-ended and you still end up with pretty much a yes or no answer. Remember your job is to keep them talking so you get them to open up to you. As you read below you will notice that the very basic words in questioning keep popping up: WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHO and HOW. These are the words that you should always use when asking questions. They are easy to remember and they are the essentials in good questions.

1/ Ask open ended opening questions.

Open-Ended Opening Questions:

Customer, we have been working together for some time now and I am always looking to improve my service to you. What recommendations would you have that could help me improve my service to you?

How or in what way have you ever felt that I have let you down in any way during our business relationship?

How do you feel I have responded to you in difficult situations?

In what area are there any communication problems between the two of us?

If there are no issues here, you can move on. If there are issues, you need to either address them on the spot or get back to them before proceeding to ask for more business.

2/ Ask Open-Ended Fact Finding Questions

Open-Ended Fact Finding Questions:

What are some of the lanes in which we are not currently serving you?

Why have you not considered Trinity for those lanes (that lane)?

Who are you using to serve you in that lane? (A good time to use the repeater technique—their answer: CH Robinson your reply: CH Robinson? -then be quiet)

How long have they been your “go-to on that lane?

What do you like most about them?

If you could change one aspect of your current relationship with them, what would that be?

What are the most important issues in your job for you?

Who is your primary customer?

What do they do and

How demanding are they?

Who are the other people in your organization who are involved in transportation decisions?

How do you decide on whom you will call to do what lane?

Where are your shipping facilities located?

3/ Ask open-Ended Feel-Finding Questions

Open-Ended Feel-Finding Questions:

How do you feel about that?

Why is it important to you?

What is your opinion about that policy or change in policy?

When did you come to that decision?

I am not sure where you are coming from with that answer? Can you explain further?