Hear ye! Oyez! Active listening applied to sales: better understand your customer's needs
Active listening is a psychological technique mainly used in human resources management.
But it is also very useful in customer relationship management, particularly during the prospecting, sales and after-sales service stages.
At a time when the customer experience and customer concerns are at the heart of every strategy, active listening is the ideal way to reassure customers, understand and respond to their needs, and build customer loyalty.
What exactly is active listening? What are its objectives, benefits and method?
Active listening: definition, origin and challenges
The concept of active listening originated in the United States, more specifically with Carl Rogers, a humanist psychologist and pioneer of non-directive techniques.
Among his works, this communication technique, also known as active listening, consists of :
- listening attentively to the other person, without interruption, interpretation or judgment,
- paying attention to both verbal and non-verbal cues,
- then using :
- questioning to make sure you've understood the message or expression of need ;
- rephrasing to demonstrate understanding and summarize the exchange.
☝️ The latter is particularly used by the sales team during the sales meeting, particularly during the discovery plan.
Fundamental values
How do you adopt an active listening attitude? By conveying these values:
- sincerity,
- patience
- availability,
- observation of body language and non-verbal behaviour,
- respect,
- openness,
- objectivity, or at least recognition of one's own subjectivity,
- non-directiveness,
- empathy.
The objectives of active listening
🎯 The aim is to obtain validation, confirmation and trust from the person expressing themselves, to rule out any possibility of misunderstanding or waste of time, and to go further in the exchanges, qualitative ones at that.
In the fields of HR, training and personal development, the advantages are :
- creating a climate of trust, conducive to self-expression,
- overcoming potential blockages,
- defusing and resolving conflicts.
☝️ This technique is used during annual or professional interviews.
It's obvious that the benefits of such a method can also be applied to customer relations for :
- understanding needs,
- removing buying disincentives,
- building a relationship based on trust,
- managing customer relations in the event of complaints or disputes.
🎯 The customer gives you more time and develops his argumentation, he takes you into his confidence.
What are active listening techniques?
Active listening involves 4 stages. It can be easily adapted to different sales techniques, such as the QQOQCP or SONCAS method, in the phases of discovering needs, buying motivations and obstacles.
Step 1: Attentive listening
It's all about being attentive, but not passive.
How do you do this? Some people call it positive silence: it's all about gestures and behavior, such as smiles, nods or a concentrated gaze.
If silence seems to bother or worry your interlocutor, you can also punctuate his or her arguments with encouraging and reassuring words, such as "Yes, I understand".
Step 2: Clarification
After listening, it's time for questioning.
The aim here is to :
- clarifying the customer's key ideas, feelings and/or points of view,
- understanding the meaning of the words used and avoiding any misunderstanding, which could be due to the sender 's poor expression but also the receiver's misunderstanding .
Sample questions:
- What do you mean by...?
- Can you rephrase it?
- Could you give me an example?
🤓 Of course, during the answers, you switch back to "active listening" mode.
Step 3: Investigation
You've clarified the meaning of the words used, now you can delve deeper into your customer's words, situation and emotions.
Several types of questions can help you do this:
- open-ended questions: "Why is this important to you?
- factual questions: "What impact has (success/problem) had on your production?
- survey questions, asking for the customer's opinion: "In your opinion, what is good customer support?
They have the merit of :
- help you identify the importance of needs or objections, their origins, and begin to envisage solutions;
- encourage your interlocutor to go further in his or her own thinking.
Step 4: Reformulation
The reformulation is the result of all the listening, clarification and investigation work:
- not only is the customer reassured that he or she has been listened to and understood, and can even provide clarification if necessary,
- but the sales person is certain of having all the information he or she needs to respond, either with a sales argument, a new offer or a closing.
Rephrasing offers repetition, enabling memorization, synthesis and conclusion.
Active listening is a fundamental sales technique. Unlike more insistent methods of the past, you get on the same wavelength as your customer, thereby encouraging commitment. At the same time, you set yourself apart from your more hurried (and urgent) competitors.
Even when you're used to it, active listening isn't easy for salespeople, especially when they've got targets to meet.
However, contrary to appearances, it can save you precious time.
Last but not least, take notes and record everything in a CRM, like Salesforce Sales Cloud, so you don't forget and lose all that listening. You'll be able to refer back to it whenever you need to talk again.
Take a look at our directory for other CRM solutions.
Practical example of dialogue
Active listening isn't just about nodding your head or letting the customer talk while you wait your turn. It means paying genuine attention to the person you're talking to, and adopting a positive attitude and posture! You can turn this communication skill into a formidable tool in sales and customer relationship management... as long as you master the codes.
Here's an example of a salesperson talking to a customer. Each stage of the discussion is designed to identify needs, eliminate resistance and offer a reassuring experience. A little method, a lot of benevolence and active listening: that's the winning combination. 🙌
Context: Paul, a sales manager, is talking with Léa, a saleswoman at a CRM software company. He's looking for a tool, but has developed distrust after several bad experiences.
Step 1 - Listening carefully
Paul: I've tested two CRM software packages for my company... Frankly, it's too complex in practice for what I want to do.
Léa: I'm listening (smile, open notebook, silent nods).
Paul: And I'm not even talking about customer support. I feel like I'm being sent to an FAQ every time I have a question...
Step 2 - Clarification
Léa: When you say "too complex", do you mean the interface, the settings, or something else? Can you elaborate on your idea?
Paul: I think of everything. Even creating a simple little contact felt like coding a website. It was too difficult to use!
Step 3 - Investigation
Léa: What do you expect from a CRM tool, on a day-to-day basis?
Paul: Just to be efficient! To keep track of my customers, to follow up my prospects, to have a clear view of my pipe. No need to look for a complicated tool!
Step 4 - Reformulation
Léa: So let me summarize our discussion: a simple CRM, focused on your company's customer follow-up, and without any gasworks. Am I right?
Paul: Exactly. And if you promise not to forget everything after the call, I'm ready to listen and think about your offer.
Lea: I promise, everything will be recorded in our software. Your information won't get lost!
Understanding for better selling
Between what I think, what I mean, what I think I say, what I say, what you want to hear, what you hear, what you understand... there are ten possibilities for us to have difficulty communicating. But let's try anyway...
Bernard Werber
In the world of sales, actively listening to people and being aware of their feelings is one of the fundamental pillars of fluid communication. It's the first step to capturing the person's message. Understanding a person's true needs and analyzing their emotions: that's the real objective of active listening!
Practicing empathic listening means interpreting different types of signals, identifying a problem, and decoding words without passing judgment. You're looking for a deep understanding of the person in front of you. Paying attention to your interlocutor is a key step in establishing a relationship of trust, arousing genuine interest and finding a solution perfectly adapted to the situation.
Non-verbal posture and listening signals
Non-verbal communication isn't just about words! It's in the look, the silences, the tone of voice and the attitude of the person you're talking to that you get the essential message. All the little non-verbal signals count when you're face-to-face with someone to find out if they're interested in your message.
Active listening isn't just about words: every bodily expression communicates important information. Take into account all verbal and non-verbal cues, make sure you don't interrupt and allow the person to express themselves fully. That's how you get the most out of active listening!
To manage this interaction with your customer or prospect, a CRM tool like Salesforce Sales Cloud can be very useful for recording key information without disrupting the exchange. Consult our directory to choose the best CRM solution for your working environment.
Handling objections with empathy
Objections are not a definitive "no", a strict refusal. They are unexpressed feelings, unarticulated needs, hidden emotions, questions or problems to which no clear answer or relevant advice has yet been given. These are real avenues to explore. 🔎
And you can detect these elements thanks to sympathetic listening. This communication technique involves asking questions, interpreting the customer's words, and repeating what the other person has said to make sure you've understood their concerns. Taking into account non-verbal elements, such as body language, is essential to ensure that every response is perfectly adapted, and ultimately to overcome any objections.
To do this, you can probe your customer's point of view: "Are you unsure about the solution because of the price or the adaptation time?" Learn to react methodically and respectfully, so as to manage communication as effectively as possible, and succeed in allaying doubts and questions.
Valuing proposed solutions
When valuing a solution, it's crucial to ensure that it addresses the customer's specific problem, while taking into account their professional expectations and types of needs. Active listening enables us to find a suitable value proposition, by rephrasing the elements expressed by the customer. Valuing a solution is more than just giving an answer. It's about showing that you've grasped every detail of the situation, and that you've come up with the perfect answer. No generic solutions here!
So, restate expectations and show that you're capable of perceiving the problems raised during the interview: "Are you looking for something simple, that's easy to integrate into the day-to-day life of each member of your team, without heavy training? That's exactly what our solution offers." Adopt this sales technique based on respectful, precise communication.
Active listening in the professional world: an underrated quality
In the sales process, every exchange becomes an opportunity to solve a problem. Active listening is a concept of clear, benevolent communication to create a climate of trust. When you ask targeted questions and respond with precision, you can decode the real expectations of the person you're listening to. The key here is to handle objections with a person-centred, respectful and appropriate approach. This creates a climate of trust and strengthens the relationship at every stage.
Understanding your interlocutor's situation, letting him express himself, is what enables you to propose the most relevant solutions in response to his needs. Active listening is a concept that enables you to enhance the value of each proposal with simple, adapted solutions, without verbalizing, strengthening the professional relationship and guaranteeing you lasting success. Without active listening, you lose out on real opportunities!