Leading Questions

Today one of our partners gave me three leading questions to ask any client when offering them one of our products or services.

1. Do you have a preference as to where I should sit?

2. May I ask you a few questions?

3. What will you be talking about after I leave?

Let's take a look at why these seemingly innocuous questions may be useful and in the process and allow us to share our corporate perspective on what we do, why we do it and how we intend to do it.

Do you have a preference as to where I should sit?

- asking permission for something as basic as taking a seat, puts the client in control and diffuses any concern they may have that we will be over-bearing or too forceful; it puts our client into the driver's seat.

It is important for all representatives of services to remember they exist "to serve." Because we may have a more thorough understanding of a particular subject than our client does, it is easy to develop the mindset that we know more than the client does about what is good for them and therefore have the right to push them to make the "correct" decision.

Our representatives are directed to be humble and helpful to the greatest extent possible. The customer is always in control of the process and we will move at their pace as decisions are made. We are experts in the fields which we represent and strive to be one of the most helpful resources possible, but the expert is there to serve at all times and not to lead the client somewhere they do not wish to go. The client leads the conversation and we follow with the best possible advice we can muster.

May I ask you a few questions?

- this avoids the pressure of prying into the client's business without their invitation and assures them that we are there to listen as well as to offer advice.

A great salesperson does not sell anything to their clients. The agent offers helpful resources and advice which will benefit the client. Terms like "salesman" and "prospect" often conjure up images of manipulative and pushy individuals who are only out for themselves; looking for gullible pigeons to pluck. It is our opinion that if we are not blessing our client, we are failing by all the measures that really count.

It is permissible to lead by asking helpful questions, but this is done to effectively uncover the true need our services are meant to address. Therefore the art of listening and taking notes is prized by the Daniel Southern Management Group and among all our associates. We are seeking long-term relationships that could literally last for generations. In order to accomplish this objective we must establish inviolate trust. We concentrate on earning our client relationships over time by the service we provide.

What will you be talking about after I leave?

- here is a way to gain insight into what you were unclear in explaining and will show you where your desire to help, may have been deficient.

On the surface, this question may seem quite odd and even intrusive. Perhaps it could be phrased a little more delicately by asking, "If I could read your mind right now, would there be anything I would try to explain in more detail or with more care?" If there are unanswered questions, it is not the client's fault but ours. Perhaps we did not listen carefully enough to effectively communicate on every point we should have touched upon. You see, clear and effective communication is what we are seeking in all interactions with our clients. Clear communication is not what we meant to say but what the client actually heard or received through their understanding. It is up to our representative to penetrate the wall of misunderstanding that so often exists in any exchange. We take the responsibility for making sure we have done the utmost to allow our client to clearly understand what we are saying and that we understand what they are saying. We are striving for a perfect understanding between the two parties. We prize clear communication and do everything in our power to facilitate it.

These three questions reveal three principals on which our business is built every day; humble service, inviolate trust and clear communication. We hope your experience with us will exceed all our expectations of ourself.