Four-Step Process for Handling Objections
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Successful people have learned to use a very basic strategy when answering objections, regardless of type. Some call this strategy the “Old Faithful” method. It consists of four basic steps for handling objections.
First, listen carefully. To demonstrate sincere concern for your customer’s objections, follow these key rules for effective listening: be attentive, maintain eye contact and let the customer talk. By carefully listening to the customer’s complaint, you will know in detail what the bottom line is, who and where the problem is and you can make an easy solution.
Second, acknowledge the customer’s objections. Acknowledging objections demonstrates that you understand and care about the customer’s concerns. Some common statements used to acknowledge objections are “I can see your point” or “I’ve had other customer ask the same thing.” These acknowledgments make a customer feel that his or her objections are understandable, valid and worthy for further discussions. To further elaborate this, consider a customer complaining missing words and letters for the bookmarks that you printed. You won’t be able to deny it because it is an obvious mistake on your part. Tell the customer that you are willing to reprint the bookmarks for her or him with no additional charges.
In some situations, you may feel like saying to the customer, “You are wrong.” But this will probably put the customer on the defensive and destroy the rapport you have established up to that point. I’m pretty sure you don’t want that to happen. So try to acknowledge a customer’s objection in a positive way. You can try to offer him a lower price, for example, if he complained of blurred designs in his bookmark order. You can slash a certain amount on the price so as not to cancel the whole printing project, although what the customer actually wanted is to have cheap bookmarks printing that is usually low in terms of color quality.
Third, restate the objections. To be sure that you understand the customer, you can restate his or her objections in a number of ways like, “I can understand your concerns. You feel that…. Am I correct?”; “In other words, you feel that…” or “Let me see if I understand. You want to know more about…”
Don’t repeat the customer’s concerns word for word. Instead, you should paraphrase the objections, or restate them in a different way. For example, the customer might say, “The style of the cheap bookmarks is nice; but I don’t like the color.” You could paraphrase the objection by asking, “Am I correct in assuming that you might be interested in our bookmarks if we would try it in another color?”
When paraphrasing, don’t change the meaning or content of what your customer says. Accurate paraphrasing shows the customer you understand his or her objections. It also helps you open the lines of effective communication when a customer has difficulty expressing concerns.
Lastly, answer the objections. You should try to find a point of agreement with the customer before answering each objection. Then answer each objection tactfully, keeping in mind the customer’s feelings. Never answer with condescension or an air of superiority, or worse, suggest that the person’s concern is unimportant.
Think of yourself as a consultant, using the objections to further define or redefine the customer’s needs. For example, if price is the objection, go back to determining the customer’s needs. If a higher priced item is warranted based on those needs, offer it. And during the time that you’re doing it, explain the features and benefits of the more expensive model and why the item is better suited to the customer.
These steps will help you handle situations calmly and effectively with a complaining customer.
Article Source: Articlelogy.com
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