Agent support manual

Questioning techniques

Being a call centre agent at Bushland Blooms means that a lot of time is spent working out exactly what your customers require. To do this you need to understand the basic principles of communication and some of the more common forms of questioning. Learning more about questioning techniques will help you obtain information in a more effective way, particularly useful in the customer service area.

Before you can begin to question and listen to your customers you need to be aware of some basic communication principles.

When dealing with customers in person there are three processes of communication that are employed. They are: bullet point.

Verbal: where you communicate with your choice of words, vocabulary and jargon. , bullet point.
Vocal: how you use your voice to get your message across. This includes the volume and tone of your voice, the speed at which you speak, and your pronunciation. , bullet point.
Non-verbal: how you use body language to communicate, including eye contact, facial expressions and hand gestures.

The following pie chart displays the breakdown of these processes in face-to-face communication:

You can see that most communication is portrayed using body language. However, when you are dealing with customers in a customer contact centre, you are only able to use verbal and vocal communication. Now look at the communication breakdown in a phone situation:

Over the phone, it's not just what you say, it's the way that you say it. You need to remember to keep the tone of your voice warm and encouraging, and avoid sounding bored, tired or annoyed.

As verbal communication is only a small part of the communication process, it's important that everything you say is effective. You need, for example, to use appropriate questioning techniques.

There are five main types of questions. Choose one of the options below to find out more about that type of question.

Open questions

These are used to obtain more information, so you will get a longer answer, containing more detail. They usually begin with question words such as: bullet point.

how , bullet point.
why , bullet point.
when , bullet point.

who , bullet point.
what , bullet point.
where

Open questions are used at the start of a call to determine problems, understand requests and establish needs.

	What kind of plants does your wife like?
	Well, she quite likes palms, and tropical plants. I know she loves colour.

The open question used by the agent prompts the customer to provide a lot of useful information. The agent will find it easier to match products and services to the customer's needs.

Closed questions

Closed questions usually lead to yes or no answers, or short specific answers from a customer. They are useful for obtaining accurate, detailed information. They are used to direct the customer or conversation. Closed questions do not encourage elaboration.

	Have you made a purchase from Bushland Blooms before?
	No, this is the first time.

The agent uses a closed question to get a specific answer from the customer. The short answer will help the agent target the call toward a new customer.

Probing questions

Probing questions are used to discover more details about a customer's needs. Probing questions are non-threatening, but encourage the customer to give greater detail.

	I understand that you would like to install the medium-sized oval pond. Could you let me know more about the type of plants you would like to surround the pond?
	Well, we really want a jungle like effect. I'm not sure about the names of the plants, but we'd like lots of colour and bushy foliage.

Here, the agent knows some detail about the customer's needs. However, they use probing questions to find out more about the specifics of the customer's requirements.

Reflective questions

This type of question prompts your customer to start thinking about the benefits of your product or service. Reflective questioning helps establish the benefits of the product you are offering.

	Well, the package will allow your wife to try out some new seeds, while the single products will allow her to use the seeds she's already familiar with. How do you feel about the options?
	Well, I think she would really enjoy trying something new.

The agent is prompting the customer to think about the benefits of both product options. By helping the customer to think carefully about their choice you are ensuring that you are meeting customer needs.

Reflective questioning is very effective when the customer is unsure of purchasing the product; it helps identify how they can benefit.

Clarifying questions

Clarifying questions are used to verify information you've received during the call. They ensure that you and the customer are in agreement. Clarifying information with your customer also demonstrates how clearly you've identified and addressed their needs.

	Just to confirm Mrs Yin, you'd like to order two lavender plants, one rosemary bush and a pot of mint. Is that correct?
	Yes, thanks. I'm looking forward to receiving them.

The agent is using a clarifying question to make sure that she has all the order details correct, and that the customer is satisfied with the results.

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