In order to understand the customer's reasons for buying and to find out which product is appropriate for her, which of the following is the BEST way to gather information from the customer?

• A. Give a demonstration and then ask questions about what the customer has seen, heard, and thinks.
• B. Ask questions but disregard the answers if the customer is not clear about what she wants.
• C. Ask technical questions that may be challenging for the customer to answer but may get you the information you need quickly.
• D. Ask questions that make the customer share her needs and help her make choices and take action.

Answer: (D)

The main idea is to uncover what the customer truly needs by guiding the conversation with open, collaborative questions. When you ask questions that invite the customer to describe her situation, goals, constraints, and preferences, you gather information that directly informs which product fits best. This approach also builds trust, because she sees you’re focused on helping her, not just selling something. As she explains her needs, you can map those needs to specific benefits of the products and help her compare options, leading her to choose confidently and take action.

This works better than focusing on a demonstration first or throwing technical questions at her, because a demonstration can spotlight features without clarifying what she actually wants, and hard technical questions can intimidate or frustrate her, cutting into clarity and trust. Ignoring answers when they’re unclear shuts down the conversation and misses the chance to learn her true priorities. By encouraging her to share her needs and guiding her through options, you align the recommendation with what matters to her and support a smoother path to purchase.