2. Communication and Needs Discovery

Ask before you recommend

• Open questions find the need: “What will you use it for?” “Who is it for?”
• Closed questions confirm it: “So you need it to fit a small kitchen?”
• Summarise before recommending: “You want something light, easy to clean, under your budget.”

Active listening

• Stop the task you are doing and face the customer.
• Do not interrupt; let the customer finish.
• Repeat the key point back in your own words.

Recommending

Offer two options at most and link each feature to what the customer told you. Suggest an add-on only when it supports the stated need.