If you’ve heard it once you’ve heard it a thousand times. No matter what you do for a living or what job-position you hold, communication skills are critical to your success.
One of the most important communication skills to master is asking questions. Without a doubt, it is the most effective way to build relationships, improve your ability to close sales, and uncover the wants, needs, opinions, ideas, problems, and concerns of others. Most important, asking questions demonstrates that you genuinely care about people and helps to create a bond.
Benefits of Asking Questions
Asking questions can provide you with insights you might not otherwise discover. For example, you can learn what is most important to a potential customer, what a customer thinks of your company’s products or level of service, what idea your employees or team members have that can help your business, or how you can resolve conflict with a disgruntled employee or coworker. In addition, asking questions gives you the opportunity to observe a person’s personality and body language so you can watch how they react and answer appropriately.
Create a list of great questions to ask, and apply them in your day-to-day interactions. Below are a few examples to get you started. Modify and add to them for your specific needs. Then memorize them and ask away! When you do, you’ll see a big difference in how people respond to you.
Questions to Ask Customers in a Sales Setting
“How’s your business doing?”
“What’s the most important thing to you about…”
“What, specifically, do you want to accomplish?”
“What challenges are you facing?”
“What has been your experience with your last provider?”
“What are the top issues facing your business?”
“What are your top three priorities regarding ______?”
“What is the biggest concern about _________?”
“What are your key business initiatives?”
“What are your long short and long-term goals?”
“Have I answered all of your questions?”
“Are you comfortable with what we have discussed?”
“Do you have more concerns?”
“What would be convenient for you?”
“Is there anything more I can do for you?”
“How would you like to proceed?”
“Are you ready to move forward?”
“Shall I place the order?”
“Is there anyone you might suggest I contact who may also benefit from our product/service?”
“When would you like me to follow up?”
“Would it be all right with you if I touch base with you from time to time if I promise I will not impose on your time?”
“Do you have any more concerns?”
“Who besides yourself would be involved in the decision-making?”
“Would you be so kind to tell me who I would speak to in your company who is responsible for purchasing?”
“What comments, questions or concerns do you have?”
“Is there anything more I can do for you today?”
Questions to Ask Your Team to Help Improve Customer Service
“How are we viewed in the eyes of our customers?”
“What can we do to increase or add to the value of our products/services so that we can become the preferred provider?”
“What more can we do to improve our level of service?”
“What can we do to make it easier to do business with us?”
“What have we done in the past to exceed expectations that we should keep doing?”
“What complaints do we hear most often?”
“How can we be more proactive in preventing them from recurring?”
“What service flaws exist that I don’t know about?”
“What have you been hearing from our customers?”
“Have you heard customers say, “Why don’t you” and what are they suggesting or complaining about?”
“What more can we do to support our sales team?”
“What guiding principles should we establish and agree to adhere to regarding how we will treat customers and eachother?
“How, specifically, should we display the values of honesty, integrity, excellence, respect, teamwork, accountability, customer focus, environmental and social consciousness, health and safety and our other values?”
Questions to Ask Your Team to Help Control Costs, Improve Quality, Communication, Productivity, Morale and Safety
“How can we streamline ________________?”
“How can we simplify __________________?”
“Where is there wasteful spending in our company?”
“How can we improve our level of quality?”
“What might be holding you back from performing more effectively?”
“Do you feel supported by your immediate boss?”
“Do you feel free to voice your opinion without fear of losing your job?”
“Do you feel fully supported by your team and if not why not?”
“What can we do to increase productivity and morale?”
“How can our teams work together more effectively?”
“Would you be open to having me coach you a bit so we can get better results?”
“What more should we be doing to prevent accidents from occurring?”
“What can I do to straighten this out with you?”
“How can we work together more effectively?”
“What can I do so that we don’t keep butting our heads?”
“What practices can we put into place to improve communication throughout the company?”
“I don’t know…What do YOU think?”
“How can we make it more fun to come to work each day?”
“Are we forgetting anything?” “How did you like our meeting?” “What can I do to help you enjoy your job?”
Questions to Establish Accountability and Gain Support
“May I ask each and every one of you to be accountable for ___________?”
“Can I rely on you?”
“Can I rely on you to come in on time from now on?”
“What does accountability mean to you?”
“Where, specifically, should we be accountable?”
Questions to Uncover or Discuss Problems
“Is there anything I should know about?”
“Have you had any complaints?”
“What are you hearing from our customers?”
“Is everyone performing up to speed?”
“What issues exist between departments?”
Questions to Ask Customers to Obtain Customer Feedback
“How has my team been performing for you?”
“How would you rate our overall level of service?”
“How do we rate against our competition?”
“Is there anything you might suggest we do to improve our level of service? -What might make it better?”
“Would you say it was fairly easy to work with us?”
“What would make it easier?”
“Is there anything more I can do for you at this time?”
“What would make you say “WOW!”
Questions To Ask To Win The Hearts of Those You Lead
“What do YOU think?”
“What would YOU recommend to make it work?”
“What ideas do you have?”
“What would you do if you were in my position?”
“How can we solve this together?”
“Is there anything I can do to help you?”
“Do you know how much I appreciate your hard work – even though I don’t always say it?”
“How is your family?”
Questions You Should Ask if You are a Leader Who Brave Enough To Ask Them
“What would you do if you were me?”
“How do I come across to people?”
“How can I be a better boss?”
Questions to Ask Kids
“You look unhappy. Would you like to tell me what’s wrong?”
“If you could design the perfect Father, what would he be like?”
“If you could talk to that kid who bullied you, what would you say?”
“Is there anything I can do to help you to feel better?”
“Do you know that we don’t live in a perfect world?”
“What’s do you think is the right thing to do?”
“Do you know how very much I love and care about you?”
This list could go on and on, just remember, that people who use communication skills exceptionally well, write and memorize a matrix of questions to ask. Do the same, and ask away!
Always remember to sound genuine, sincere, caring, empathic and where appropriate—upbeat!
Photo Courtesy of (Betsy Weber) – Flickr
About Christine Corelli
