How can you handle complex customer requests?

As a sales person, it's really easy to go into "Sales Mode" and try to push your product as a nail for every hammer. However when it comes to any customer, especially complex customers, you need to go into listening mode and ask discovery questions. As you ask questions and listen attentively, the challenge at stake will become clear, and the window for you to provide value opens up. Bottom line, be intentional about listening and asking the right questions. At the end of the day, the sales team is there to solve problems.

In handling complex customer requests: Active Listening: Listen attentively to the customer's concerns and ask clarifying questions to fully grasp the issue. Assessment: Evaluate the complexity of the request and determine the resources needed for resolution. Break Down: If the request is multifaceted, break it into smaller parts for easier management. Research: Gather relevant information from available resources to aid in resolving the issue. Offer Solutions: Present potential solutions or options to the customer, while being transparent about any limitations. Collaborate: If necessary, work with colleagues or other departments to find a solution.

Agreed the first step should be active listening so that one can understand the pain area of the customer. Be empathetic and always keep an approach of solution oriented. Do not give a FALSE hope but a smart communicator.

The more you listen to your customer the more options you get for the solution. If you understand the problem then it becomes easy to work on the solution as there will be multiple options to get to a solution.

In my experience following a structured approach to opportunity mapping could be very helpful. 1. Define business objective 2. Document a detailed BRD with all the relevant use cases 3. Prioritise the use cases based frameworks like MOSCOW or RICE 4. Develop a detailed scope document 5. Arrive at clearly articulated and objective success criteria 6. Estimate the efforts if any 7. Evaluate the profitability of the project/opportunity 8. Basis the agreement with the customer take a go or no go decisions

In this phase, you should also always take into account that you can optimize your own processes and Workflows. You learn with every complex request and deal very intensively with solutions and cost-effectiveness. In this phase, you also have to know the right colleagues who will help you carry out these changes. Otherwise, I fully agree with this article!

Always take time to review the request before committing to anything - this is especially important when you receive requests on a call with the customer. Ensuring that you scope out the requirements with the customer before giving a yes or no critical otherwise you will end up overpromising and underdelivering - a sure fire way to kill a deal.

Personally, I always try to break down the request. Complex requests often involve multiple components. The first thing I always do is break down the request into smaller, manageable parts. This not only makes the situation less overwhelming but also helps in addressing each aspect systematically.

Above all, be honest. If you don't know the answer, and need to revert back to another team, then just say so. If the answer is "our solution/approach does not support that", then say so...anything else will just come back to bite you later.

In the case of a trade off or out of scope, it has also always helped me to actively involve the customer in research/development. This strengthens trust and gives you the time to qualify the knowledge/feedback gained.

For me, my biggest priority here is to set realistic expectations. Be transparent with the customer about what you can and cannot do. Set realistic expectations regarding timelines and potential outcomes. Open communication helps manage the customer's expectations and reduces frustration.

When discussing the offer or the proposal, or demonstrating the product, it is of utmost importance to state clearly the limitations, in addition to the strengths. Setting expectations in this stage results in the customer having the right perspective of what will be challenging, and accepting that. Not having this truthful approach at this stage will cause long-term damage to the customer relationship.

It is important when offering pilots that clear objectives and expectations are set to ensure that the customer gets value from the exercise but also are kept engaged in the process: Effective Pilot Management in a Nutshell - Objective: Clearly define the pilot's goal. - Timeframe: Typically, set between 30-90 days. - Customer Role: Engage regularly for feedback. - Success Metrics: Set clear, measurable outcomes. - Resources: Provide essential tools and support. - Review: Analyze results post-pilot. - Next Steps: Decide on broader rollout or refinement. Remember, clarity and collaboration are key to a successful pilot.

Such an open question. Although, I would say, don't try to understand the request, try to understand the work. If you can understand the work they are doing and the processes within the current flows, then the problem/request will become much clearer. It is difficult to understand requests (properly) without this approach.

I would add to what others have said is for Solutions Engineers to find an IT/Telecom Tech Services Broker, like myself to their contacts. We help represent ALL service solutions and can help a Solutions Engineer pull together the best pieces to deliver the BEST solution for their clients!