That's a great question...

“That’s a great question” can be interpreted in many ways, it can mean –

• "That’s actually a genuinely great question."
• "I need more time in order to formulate a response to a difficult question"
• "I'm not sure how to answer that question so I'm using an ‘auto response’, (regardless of it being a great question or not.)"

In the role of a Solutions Engineer you require the ability to ask a great question at the right time and also to be able to respond to great questions that are asked by your prospects.

Asking a great question is a critical part of being able to uncover and fully understand the needs and requirements of your customers.

On the other hand, being able to respond to a great question allows Solution Engineers to gain the trust of their prospective customers.?

Let’s look at an example of each :

From a prospect to an SE -

Why wouldn't I just use [insert free tool/framework here] instead of paying for your tool?

It usually means the prospect is cutting through the noise of features, functionality and buzzwords to try and understand what value they're actually going to get from investing in the solution being presented to them.

This is a pretty good question and really puts it up to the Solution Engineer to earn their worth and demonstrate the value of their solution to the customer.

It really depends on the situation and context but a great question from a Solutions Engineer to a prospect might look something like this: - ?

Let’s say you have qualified an opportunity, you understand that the prospect

1.??????Has a problem we can fix

2.??????Agrees they have a problem

3.??????Wants to fix the problem and

4.??????Is prepared to go on a journey to fix the problem

But now all of a sudden, as the deal is about to close, there is an objection that has the potential to kill the deal.

A great question might be something as simple as –

What is the impact of doing nothing ?

The next time you are presenting and you feel the urge to say the line, take a second to think about it. A few moments of silence might be better than an automatic "That's a great question".

What has this person's 'great question' revealed about the scenario? Is it?really?a great question?

Try and avoid using stock phrases like “that’s a great question” or ?"that’s a good point" unless it really is the most appropriate thing to say at the time.

Instead, really try to engage with what the person asks so you can give the answer that is going to have the most impact.

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If you are someone who likes to ask great questions, then send me a dm.

We are always looking for smart and inquisitive techies to join our expanding Global Solutions Engineering Team at SmartBear.