Being able to solve problems for your customers is one of the most important skills you can have as a sales person. Solving problems will require time, thought, and individual attention, but once you have a set of skills in place, you can begin to handle problems quickly, easily, and consistently.
The first step should always be to actively listen to what they’re saying. If you don’t understand the question the customer is asking, how can you expect to provide a helpful solution or answer? You should make every effort to clarify their question, problem, or objection before you even start to formulate a solution. In the clarification process, hopefully your prospect or customer will give you additional details that can help you solve their problem.
After you have defined the problem, you can begin to brainstorm solutions and identify options. Once you have a list of options, you’re better equipped to determine what will actually work for a particular customer and situation.
After you’ve come up with a viable solution, you should answer the question head on, honestly, simply, and succinctly. Present the solution and then, if accepted, implement it efficiently.