Communication & Negotiation Skills Flashcards

A prospect says, 'Your competitor offers the same features at 20% less.' What is the best sales engineer response?

Answer: Acknowledge the concern and redirect to total value and TCO

Redirecting to total cost of ownership (TCO) and overall value shifts the conversation from price to business impact.

Which active listening technique involves restating the speaker's message in your own words to confirm understanding?

Answer: Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing restates the speaker's message in new words to confirm accurate comprehension.

During a technical demo, a stakeholder interrupts with an off-topic question. The best approach is to:

Answer: Acknowledge the question, note it in a parking lot, and continue

A parking lot captures the question respectfully while keeping the demo on track.

In negotiation, the term 'ZOPA' refers to:

Answer: Zone of Possible Agreement

ZOPA (Zone of Possible Agreement) is the range where both parties' acceptable outcomes overlap.

A customer sends a vague email complaint about your product. The most effective first response is to:

Answer: Reply asking clarifying questions to understand the specific issue

Clarifying questions ensure you understand the real problem before proposing a solution.

Which communication style is most effective when presenting complex technical specifications to a non-technical executive?

Answer: Focus on business outcomes and avoid unnecessary technical detail

Executives prioritize business impact over technical depth, so framing specs as outcomes is most persuasive.

The 'feel, felt, found' technique in objection handling is designed to:

Answer: Acknowledge the prospect's concern, build empathy, and offer a resolution

Feel, felt, found validates the prospect's concern, builds rapport, and guides them toward a positive outcome.