SESSION ‘Q’

(Questioning & Probing Techniques)

 OBJECTIVE

At the end of the program the participants will be able to :

• Describe Probing & Questioning techniques

• Demonstrate the use of them with Internal & External

Customers.
 STARTERS
List the concerns you have, while probing, &
questioning with :

• a customer

• in process meetings / forum

• peers

• boss
W H Y D O W E Q U E S T I O N?

• We do not have all the answers

• To learn more

• When we need more clarity

• To gather facts - while taking a decision

• To get somebody else’s perspective

Remember
Assumption is the mother of all … mix - ups !!!
THE MAIN COURSE
TYPES OF QUESTIONS

• Open - Ended
• Close - Ended

Probing / Investigative

» Reflective

» Leading

» And/Echo Technique
 Group Activity

•Find your own partner

•Identify yourself-Ask the audience

 CLOSE-ENDED

 Yes / No

 Limits the answer

 Confirms details

 To take an agreement

 To get the basic knowledge

 To take feedback

(best used for reconfirming numerics

/ specifics / closing a sale)
 Closed Ended Questions

• can be answered in a few words or sentences.

• are good for providing specifics.
• place the prime responsibility for talking on you.
• usually begin with "where", "are", "do".

Example: "Are you coming to the office?"

 OPEN-ENDED

• Encourages disclosure

• Helps get more information

• Provides insight into feelings, emotions, behaviors

(besides just facts)

(best used when U need to get the root cause of the issue)
 Open Ended Questions

• encourage an individual to talk and provide maximum

information to identify causes and work toward solutions.
• usually begin with "how", "why" or "could".

Example: "Could you describe the kind of loan you are

looking out for?”
 Probing Questions

• They’re primarily open ended

• The objective is to get more information

• Clarify current information

• Narrow the focus of the call

• Make an extra effort to identify customer’s

needs
They’re most effective when..
A general open ended question has not
succeeded in getting the information you
need

You want to get to the root cause of the

customer’s call and narrow down the scope.
PROBING QUESTIONS
(Analytical / Evaluative)

• Primarily Open-ended
• Clarify information
• Narrow the focus
• Extra effort to identify needs

(most effective when open-ended has not succeeded in

getting requisite information)

eg : “How would you describe …”

“Explain How difficult it is …”

REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS

• Primarily Open-ended

• Seeks opinions, feedback, .....on an

issue.

• Not about analysis of facts & data

Eg : “How do you feel about …..”

“How would you be affected ….”

SPECULATIVE QUESTIONS

• Primarily Open-ended

• Are normally related to the future

• About analysis of facts & data

Eg : “What benefits would there be …”

“How would you change ….”

 LEADING QUESTIONS

• Useful in identifying needs & expectations

• Primarily close-ended
» suggests what the answer should be
» direct to the required answer

(best used when U want to encourage a customer to make a

right decision in their / your best interest)
 The Construction of Leading
Questions
• They consist of a statement followed by a
questioning phrase that suggests the desired answer

• The phrasing of the statement/question combination

determines the response towards which the customer
is being directed
 LEADING QUESTIONS

The phrasing of the statement/question combination determines

the response towards which the customer is being directed.
When someone is undecided, use leading questions - don’t push.

Eg : “Do you think it would be appropriate to …”

“ You haven’t tried this option, would you

like to try this now ?”

Not : “I feel this will work, what do you think ?”

 Overcoming the Barriers
Be sure the answer you are
leading the customer to is
the right one

Listen for any resistance or hesitation from

the customer in response to your leading
question
 ‘AND’ Technique

This technique is used to get more information from the customer,

in a situation wherein he/she is not providing you with substantial
information.

Precautions
•Do not use it very often, that the customer gets irate.
•Take care of the tone when saying ‘and’…
 Echoing Technique
A word or two in the customer’s statement will provide
a natural lead-in to your next question

The technique is to repeat some of the customer’s

words and turning them into a question

Echo questions effectively seek more information from

the caller. Covering the part about which more
information is needed.
Echo Technique cont…

Repeat the last or the last few words spoken by

the customer

Change the tone of your voice from a statement to

a question by raising the tone of your voice at the
end

Pause - give the customer a chance to provide

more information
Examples

Caller Statement Echo Questions

"The clothes I ordered
were delivered in the
wrong color" "The wrong color…?
"You guys out there
owe me an
explanation" " An explanation …?
"I would like to speak
to someone who can
help me" "Can help…?
 REMEMBER

• People are willing to answer But only if the right question

is asked !

• People don’t look down on you when you ask questions

• Confidence is the key

• You miss all the shots that you did not take !!

• Questioning is skill that can be easily acquired - not as you

thought otherwise
 SO
When in doubt

Ask !!!
EXERCISE