Customer-focused sales discovery questions help a salesperson understand the work a buyer needs to improve before recommending a solution. Ask about a recent example, the current workaround, the desired change, and the people involved. Then agree on a next step that fits what you learned.

In Episode 5, Erwin Jacobo distinguishes chasing a sale from understanding the customer and offering a useful solution. He connects new business with lasting client relationships. The practical tool below is THCC’s editorial application of that discussion; it is not a checklist the guest delivered word for word.

Begin with work the customer can describe

“Tell me about the last time this happened” usually gives you more to investigate than a broad request for a wish list. Ask what triggered the task, who became involved, and what the customer did when something failed. Let the answer shape the next question.

A question list is preparation, not a script to complete regardless of the conversation. If the buyer already explained a constraint, acknowledge it. Repeating a question simply because it appears next on your form can make the conversation feel disconnected.

Use these discovery prompts

• What prompted you to look at this now?
• How are you handling the work today?
• Can you describe a recent example that did not go as planned?
• What would a useful improvement allow your team to do?
• Who else performs the work or needs to evaluate a change?
• Which constraints should we understand before proposing an approach?
• What information would help you decide on a next step?

Avoid turning a question into a disguised claim about your product. If you need to demonstrate a capability, first confirm that it addresses the customer’s actual concern. Be clear when a capability or result still needs verification.

Write a short discovery record

Capture the trigger, current workflow, practical impact, desired change, involved roles, and unresolved questions. Add the customer’s agreed next action. Keep a customer statement separate from a salesperson’s interpretation so the team can tell which assumptions need checking.

For a fictional service provider, the buyer may ask for more staffing while describing missed updates between shifts. That discovery does not prove staffing is unnecessary. It gives both parties a specific handoff to investigate before choosing a solution.

Close with an accurate recap

Summarize what you understood and invite correction. Explain what you can demonstrate, what requires further investigation, and who will provide the next information. A useful recap should help the customer recognize their own problem in the proposed next step.

What if the customer is not a fit?

Say where the fit is uncertain and avoid promising a capability you cannot provide. A discovery call has produced useful information when it prevents an unsuitable commitment as well as when it leads to a relevant proposal.

Watch the source conversation

Watch Episode 5 for the complete interview and its original context.

Continue with the pre-sale customer experience, or explore more customer experience conversations and guides.

A customer service role-play works best when the team practices one difficult decision, observes what the employee actually does, and tries the conversation again after feedback. Rehearsing a perfect script can miss the judgment required when a customer’s situation changes.

In Alvaro D’Amico and Peter Muir — customer care, Peter Muir introduces LAURA, and Alvaro D’Amico discusses listening, human communication, and taking ownership of the customer’s problem. The practical tool below is THCC’s editorial application of that discussion; it is not a checklist the guest delivered word for word.

Choose a realistic decision, not an exaggerated argument

Start with a situation the team encounters: a missed update, an unavailable request, or a customer who has already explained the problem to someone else. State what the employee knows, what remains uncertain, and which actions are permitted. Do not use identifiable customer records as practice material.

Keep the first exercise narrow. A fictional customer can be frustrated about an unexplained delay without becoming abusive. The learning objective might be to uncover the practical impact and agree on a reliable next update.

Use this practice scenario

A customer was promised an update yesterday and received none. They need to know whether a service visit will happen before they leave town. The agent can check the current schedule and arrange a supervisor review, but cannot promise an unconfirmed appointment.

One colleague plays the customer, another the agent, and a third observes. Give the customer a genuine constraint to reveal when asked. That encourages discovery rather than a performance in which everyone already knows the answer.

Observe behaviors you can discuss

• Did the agent allow the customer to explain the situation?
• Did they acknowledge the missed commitment specifically?
• Did they check what the delay means for the customer?
• Did they distinguish a confirmed fact from a proposed next step?
• Did they take responsibility for an update without promising unavailable service?

Use the framework as a coaching aid. The employee does not need to recite its letters or use a prescribed emotional phrase. An observer should be able to point to the moment the agent understood the issue and the action that followed.

Debrief, then repeat the difficult moment

Ask the agent what they understood, the customer what remained unclear, and the observer which behavior helped. Select one change for the second attempt. Repeating that moment gives the employee a chance to apply the feedback immediately.

If the exercise exposes an unclear approval rule or unavailable information, record an operating action for the supervisor. Training should not be used to compensate indefinitely for a process employees cannot execute.

Should a role-play be scored?

A short behavior checklist can make feedback consistent. Use it to identify a next practice step, and keep the discussion specific. A total score alone tells an employee little about what to change in the next customer conversation.

Watch the source conversation

Watch Alvaro D’Amico and Peter Muir — customer care for the complete interview and its original context.

Continue with customer experience operating standards, or explore more customer service conversations and guides.

A service recovery follow-up should confirm what changed, ask whether the proposed remedy worked, and explain who will handle anything still unresolved. Sending an apology or marking a ticket closed does not establish that the customer can now do what they needed to do.

In Ramon Martinez — hospitality leadership, Martinez distinguishes offering a resolution from following up and following through. He describes checking back to find out whether the guest is satisfied with the outcome. The practical tool below is THCC’s editorial application of that discussion; it is not a checklist the guest delivered word for word.

Check the action before contacting the customer

Look at the actual remedy. Was a promised replacement dispatched, an access issue corrected, or a return visit arranged? If the action is incomplete, say so. Do not write a message implying the problem is fixed because an internal team accepted the request.

Choose a follow-up moment that fits the remedy. A customer needs a reasonable opportunity to try the change. Where another team owns delivery, confirm that team’s next update and keep a named contact responsible for the customer conversation.

Adapt this follow-up message

Hello [name], I’m following up on [issue]. We have completed [verified action]. Has that resolved [specific difficulty] for you? If anything is still getting in the way, reply here and I’ll coordinate the next step. [If applicable: Our next update is due by agreed time/date.]

This is an editorial template, so replace every bracket with an accurate detail. The wording should fit the channel and relationship. Avoid demanding a positive review or implying the customer must accept the remedy because the business has completed its internal procedure.

Use a closure checklist that preserves uncertainty

• Original difficulty and its practical impact are recorded.
• The promised action has a verified completion state.
• The customer has been asked whether the action worked.
• Any remaining difficulty has an owner and next update.
• The record distinguishes customer-confirmed resolution from no response.

No response is its own state. Record contact attempts according to your normal policy, without converting silence into satisfaction. If the customer says the remedy did not help, reopen the problem definition rather than simply repeating the same offer.

What if the promised fix is delayed?

Explain what is complete, what is pending, and when you can provide a reliable next update. For example, a fictional support team might confirm that access was restored while acknowledging that a separate data correction remains open. Keeping those actions separate gives the customer a clearer picture.

Use repeated follow-up failures as an operating signal. If agents repeatedly lack reliable completion information, improve that handoff before rewriting the message again.

Watch the source conversation

Watch Ramon Martinez — hospitality leadership for the complete interview and its original context.

Continue with the post-purchase customer experience, or explore more customer service conversations and guides.

A customer service shift checklist should tell a supervisor whether the team can deliver the service it is about to promise. Check access, everyday supplies, open customer issues, and available support before the queue grows. When something is missing, assign a fix instead of recording a tick and moving on.

In Ramon Martinez — hospitality leadership, Martinez separates the tools, materials, and support employees need to perform their work. He gives everyday examples such as working systems, guest keys, and pens. The practical tool below is THCC’s editorial application of that discussion; it is not a checklist the guest delivered word for word.

Separate readiness from attendance

A full roster does not show whether people can complete their tasks. A colleague may be present but unable to access the booking system. A workstation may function while the materials needed to finish a request are missing. Ask employees to demonstrate the ordinary task they are about to perform.

Keep the check relevant to the role. A front-desk colleague, support agent, and floor supervisor need different resources. Put shared checks at the top, then add a short role-specific section. Avoid a long form filled with items nobody owns.

Use this pre-shift checklist

• Tools: Can the employee access the systems and equipment required for today’s work?
• Materials: Are the physical or digital items needed to complete a normal request available?
• Capability: Which tasks can this person perform independently, and where do they still need support?
• Open work: Which unresolved customer commitments carry into this shift, and who owns each one?
• Backup: Who can answer a question, approve an exception, or cover an interruption?

For each gap, record an owner and the next action. An access problem needs someone who can restore access; a training gap may need a supervisor beside the employee. Calling both problems “not ready” hides the different responses they require.

Turn a missing item into a clear operating decision

Consider a fictional front desk where a new colleague cannot issue replacement keys independently. The supervisor can arrange supported coverage, confirm the required training, and explain who handles the request meanwhile. The checklist has helped only when the team knows how to serve the next guest.

Review recurring gaps after the shift. If the same supply or login problem appears repeatedly, move it into the operating improvement list. A daily checklist should expose recurring work, not make the team normalize it.

Does every check need a new software system?

No. A short shared record can work if the team can see the current state, identify the owner, and carry unresolved items into the next shift. Start with those requirements, then choose a tool that fits.

Watch the source conversation

Watch Ramon Martinez — hospitality leadership for the complete interview and its original context.

Continue with customer experience operating standards, or explore more customer experience conversations and guides.