Keeping up with customer expectations requires a lot. Needs shift. Context changes. What worked last quarter may now miss the mark. The challenge isn’t effort but staying curious enough to keep listening.
Outreach’s Maria Akhter says sales teams today must identify customer needs before a conversation even happens. Otherwise, they risk going on a wild goose chase trying to offer the right solutions. This means wasted time and resources, and ultimately, missed revenue. How do you get better at identifying customer needs? You can start by recognizing some common mistakes. We explain what Akhter means in this issue of PromoPro Daily.
Mistake No. 1: Assuming you already know what customers need. Akhter points out that your existing customers and your target prospects may have different priorities. Relying on assumptions from past deals rather than fresh research leads to misaligned messaging and missed opportunities.
Mistake No. 2: Asking leading questions. If you ask things like, “Wouldn’t you love more brand awareness?” you’re essentially nudging people toward answers you want to hear rather than revealing their actual priorities. Akhter recommends using open-ended questions that let customers articulate needs in their own words.
Mistake No. 3: Focusing only on stated needs. Keep in mind, Akhter says, that customers often don’t articulate their deepest pain points because they’ve accepted them as just how things are. Gartner research shows that 69% of B2B buyers encounter inconsistencies between website information and what sellers tell them, highlighting the gap between what companies think customers need and what customers actually experience. She says it’s important to look for unstated needs by observing behavior, analyzing support tickets, and reading between the lines during conversations.
Mistake No. 4: Collecting feedback without acting on it. Akhter points out Salesforce research that reveals that 66% of customers expect companies to understand their unique needs and expectations. If you gather insights but don’t visibly respond to them, she says customers lose confidence that their voice matters.
Mistake No. 5: Treating needs identification as a one-time event. Customer needs evolve as markets shift, competitors emerge, and business conditions change, Akhter says. She advises building continuous feedback loops rather than relying on quarterly surveys or annual research projects.
You can get better at identifying customer needs by watching for the mistakes above. Don’t make assumptions and look for what goes unsaid. Ask better questions and then do something with what you learn. This is how you can stay ahead of expectations and deliver value every time.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Maria Akhter is the editor of revenue best practices and outreach insights at Outreach.
