CSM Customer Needs Assessment 2

Question 1

A sales manager notices that a prospect keeps referencing their competitor's faster delivery times during needs discussions. This signal most likely indicates a _____ need.

Accepted Answer

Stated need focused on operational efficiency

Answer

When a prospect explicitly references a specific operational gap (delivery speed), they are expressing a stated need focused on operational efficiency.

Question 2

Which questioning technique is BEST for uncovering the financial impact of an unresolved customer problem?

Accepted Answer

Implication questions

Answer

Implication questions (from the SPIN model) help prospects quantify and articulate the cost or consequence of leaving a problem unsolved.

Question 3

A sales manager reviews call recordings and finds that reps spend 80% of discovery calls talking. What is the MOST likely outcome?

Accepted Answer

Critical customer needs remain undiscovered

Answer

When reps dominate discovery conversations, they cannot gather sufficient information about the customer's actual needs, leaving key pain points undiscovered.

Question 4

A B2B prospect says, 'We're fine for now, but things might get busier in Q4.' A skilled sales manager would coach reps to classify this as a _____ need.

Accepted Answer

Latent need

Answer

A latent need is one the customer is aware of but has not yet prioritized or acted upon, which fits the prospect's forward-looking concern.

Question 5

When conducting a needs assessment with a committee of buyers, the sales manager should FIRST identify:

Accepted Answer

Each member's individual role and how the solution affects them

Answer

Understanding each committee member's role and how the solution impacts them individually allows the sales manager to tailor needs assessment to multiple stakeholders.

(CSM) Certified Sales Manager Practice Test

(CSM) Certified Sales Manager Practice Test

CSM Customer Needs Assessment 2