Probing Skills

Let’s appreciate questions!!!

Objectives

By the end of this session you will be able to:

• Identify probing as a skill

• Identify the significance of probing for good customer service

• Identify the formula of probing and select the correct one for it

• Identify types of questions

• Practice effective probing

Let’s consider a real-life scenario…

Leena, I want to buy a dress for myself.. Will you help me?

1.Ya sure Neha , when do you have to wear it

3. What's your budget?

4. What is the

occasion?

5. What’s your favourite colour?

6. You like traditional

wear or the modern wear?

2. Do you have any particular

designer in mind?

Let’s Discuss the importance of each question…

1. First question will help Leena to know the urgency to go out for shopping.

2. Second question will help Leena to focus on a particular showroom, if any.

3. Third one will help Leena to narrow down the options according to the budget.

4. Fourth question will help Leena to understand how formal/informal the dress should be.

5. This will further help in narrowing the options

6. This will finally help them go to the most appropriate store to buy their choice of dress without wasting much of a time

So what did we notice?

• Role of questions in the various situations.Role of questions in the various situations.

• Importance of asking right questions at the right time.Importance of asking right questions at the right time.

• Asking right question is a skill that is sometimes given the least Asking right question is a skill that is sometimes given the least attention toattention to

• Asking the right questions helps in understanding the perspective of Asking the right questions helps in understanding the perspective of the person we are talking tothe person we are talking to

• Clears MisunderstandingClears Misunderstanding

• Strengthen or break our assumptionsStrengthen or break our assumptions

What is Probing???

Probe: To search or explore very thoroughly

Probing:

To ask investigating questions to develop the understanding

Probing is a technique of questioning to discover what a persons need, wants and his opinion about a certain issue

Everyone can ask questions, but the art of asking the right questions at the right time is a skill that needs to be mastered

Why is Probing Important in customer service?

Probing helps you to: Uncover and develop customers need

Focus your customer on issues that you want them to consider Change tracks in a discussion Makes the other person think

Keep the other persons attention Prove to your customer that you really care for them

Sometimes helps in closing a deal

What is an Effective Probing?

Uncover customer’s concern and develop a solution for the issue

Encourage the customer to talk

Keep the customer interested

...but above all

Formula For Probing

General Information centric

They include questions regarding issues like:

• Situation eg. “What was the mode of payment?”

• Background eg. “When did you request for the change in plan?”

• Confirmation eg. “When can you pay the Bill?”

Explanation centric

They include questions regarding issues like:

• Pin pointing the problem eg. “I understand that this is the exact / type/ department/ problem you face. Am I right?

• Weighing pros and cons on each of the solutions eg. “X solution will take more time than Y. Would that suit you?”

TAT (Turn Around Time) centric

They include questions regarding issues like:

• Deciding the final solution eg. “Sir/Madam, so should we go for solution X?

• Confirming/ Agreeing on the solution plan and TAT eg. “So solution X will require ___ cost and ___time. Will you be comfortable?”

• Giving a promise of delivery with stated TAT eg. “Can we freeze on ___ date to deliver X solution?”

Bheja Fry…Bheja Fry…

Let’s quiz our observations

Workbook activity!

Types of questions

Categorized on the basis of answers expected from the questions.

Open Ended Questions

Close Ended

Questions

Open Ended Question

These kind of question are expected to generate an answer which is :• Descriptive• Urges to give opinion • In the round about fashion• Facilitates frankness• Helps in understanding• Helps build rapport

Open Ended Questions

Closed Question

These kind of question are expected to generate an answer which is :• Concise• Urges to give facts • Pin points • Yields more accurate information • Helps in clarifying• Helps in achieving Customer satisfaction

Close Ended

Questions

Examples of close ended and open ended questions

Closed-Ended Question Open-Ended Question

• Do you get on well with your boss?

• Who will you vote for this election?

• What color shirt are you wearing?

• Tell me about your relationship with your boss

• What do you think about the two candidates in this election?

• That's an interesting colored shirt you're wearing

No more questions, no more answers

More questions, more answers

Precaution

• Don’t ask too many questions which can irritate customers

• Don’t ask unnecessary questions, stick to the customer’s concern

• Maintain a polite and friendly tone throughout the conversation

• Be genuinely eager to help

• Be a professional and don’t use colloquial phrases like “oh my god”, “What the hell” etc…

Any questionsAny questions