© telephone doctor, inc. | questioning techniques

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You will learn:You will learn:

The importance of the relationship between effectively determining the needs of a caller and providing excellent service to customers.

Recall and apply seven techniques for improving questioning.


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Key Point #1:Key Point #1:

Open-Ended Questions


DiscussDiscussWhat are open-ended questions?

When should you use open-ended questions?

Give some examples of open-ended questions that Paige, Jeremy and Lora used in the first scene.


Telephone Doctor® Telephone Doctor® PrescriptionPrescription

Use open-ended questions to “open up” a conversation and get full information.

Open-ended questions encourage continued conversation.



Closed-Ended Questions


DiscussDiscussHow do closed-ended questions differ from open-ended questions?

When should you use closed-ended questions?

Give some examples of closed-ended questions you might use on calls you take.



Use closed-ended questions to pin down brief facts.

Use closed-ended questions to tack down and confirm details.



Probing Questions


DiscussDiscussSometimes, in order to get the information you need to help the caller, you’ll need to ask more than one kind of question. Recall from the program that probing questions can be very effective in many cases.

Exactly what are probing questions?

When should you ask probing questions?



Use probing questions when you want to dig a little deeper to identify the caller’s needs.

Remember – if one probing question doesn’t do the whole job, feel free to use another. Use several probing questions, if necessary, to learn what you need to know.



The Echo Question


DiscussDiscussVery often, one or two words in a caller’s statement will provide a natural lead-in to your next question. How can you make the most of these opportunities? What kinds of questions are best suited to these situations?

What three things should you do when asking an echo question?



Use echo questions to help you get more information.

Phrase your question using the key words from the caller’s last statement.

Raise the tone of your voice slightly at the end to make the words a question.

After asking the echo question, pause to give the caller a chance to provide more information.



Leading Questions


DiscussDiscussBecause of your experience in working with callers, you may recognize the right decision before the caller does.How can your use of questions help callers confirm decisions more quickly?

In what situations are the use of leading questions most appropriate?

What problems can result from asking leading questions at the wrong time or for the wrong reasons?

How can you avoid these problems when using leading questions?

How are leading questions constructed?



When callers are undecided, use leading questions to direct them to a decision.

Remember – the objective is to lead, not to push.



The “And Technique”


DiscussDiscussIn order to give callers the best possible service, it’s often necessary to get greatly detailed or widely varied information. Doing this by simply asking a series of standard questions may make callers feel they’re being interrogated or “grilled”.How can you get the information you need and still keep your callers comfortable?

What are the three steps you should follow to use an “And Technique” effectively?

What makes this technique so important and effective?

Why is it important to practice the “And Technique” in order to use it effectively?



Remember – a series of abrupt or disjointed questions can make callers uncomfortable.

Use the “And Technique” to gather information without making callers feel they’re being interrogated.



Interpreting Disguised Responses


DiscussDiscussWhen callers have urgent requirements to fill, serious problems to solve, or a complaint to register, they may respond to your greeting by expressing their feelings before they express their needs.How can you recognize these “disguised responses” in order to deal with them effectively?

When a caller seems to be giving you a disguised response, what should you do to remove the disguise and discover the real need?

What are the benefits of repeating or rephrasing what the caller has told you?



Pay close attention to what the caller says. Try to determine what the caller is really trying to tell you.

Never argue. Instead, ask sincere questions designed to get through the disguise and identify the actual need.


Take the Pre-Take the Pre-Program QuizProgram Quiz

ANSWERS

01. C

02. A

03. A

04. B

05. C

06. C

07. B

08. C

09. B

10. B


SUMMARY OF KEY POINTSSUMMARY OF KEY POINTSOPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS: Open-ended questions “open up” the conversation.

PROBING QUESTIONS: Dig a little deeper.

THE ECHO QUESTION: Use key words from caller’s statement; raise your tone of voice slightly at the end to make the words a question; pause.

LEADING QUESTIONS: Objective is to lead, not to push.

THE “AND TECHNIQUE”: Makes the caller more comfortable

INTERPRETING DISGUISED RESPONSES: Never argue; ask sincere questions.

CLOSED-ENDED QUESTIONS: Use closed-ended questions to pin down brief facts.


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