CWS Customer Needs Assessment & Sales 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A homeowner complains their water leaves blue-green stains in the sink. Which water quality issue does this most likely indicate?
- High iron content
- Low pH (acidic water) corroding copper pipes (Correct answer)
- Excessive hardness
- Elevated manganese levels
Correct answer: Low pH (acidic water) corroding copper pipes
Blue-green staining is a classic sign of acidic water leaching copper from household plumbing.
Question 2: During a needs assessment, a customer mentions a sulfur odor but has no other complaints. What is the BEST next step?
- Immediately recommend an iron filter
- Conduct a water test to confirm hydrogen sulfide presence before recommending equipment (Correct answer)
- Sell a whole-house carbon filter without testing
- Advise the customer to contact their municipality
Correct answer: Conduct a water test to confirm hydrogen sulfide presence before recommending equipment
Always confirm the specific contaminant through water testing before recommending any treatment solution.
Question 3: Which sales technique involves summarizing the customer's stated problems back to them before presenting a solution?
- Assumptive close
- Reflective listening and needs confirmation (Correct answer)
- Trial close
- Feature dumping
Correct answer: Reflective listening and needs confirmation
Reflective listening confirms you understood the customer's concerns and builds trust before presenting equipment options.
Question 4: A customer with a private well asks about water treatment. Which document should the dealer prioritize obtaining first?
- A signed purchase agreement
- A recent comprehensive water analysis report (Correct answer)
- The home's square footage
- A copy of the well drilling log only
Correct answer: A recent comprehensive water analysis report
A comprehensive water analysis is essential for private well customers because contaminant levels vary widely and drive equipment selection.
Question 5: What does the term 'TDS' stand for in water quality assessments?
- Total Dissolved Solids (Correct answer)
- Temporary Dissolved Sulfates
- Total Detergent Surfactants
- Turbidity Detection Scale
Correct answer: Total Dissolved Solids
TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) measures the combined content of all inorganic and organic substances dissolved in water.
Question 6: A customer objects that water treatment equipment is too expensive. Which response best addresses this objection?
- Immediately offer a discount to close the sale
- Ignore the objection and continue with the presentation
- Acknowledge the concern, then quantify long-term savings on bottled water, plumbing repairs, and appliance longevity (Correct answer)
- Tell the customer they cannot afford not to buy
Correct answer: Acknowledge the concern, then quantify long-term savings on bottled water, plumbing repairs, and appliance longevity
Framing cost as an investment with measurable long-term savings transforms a price objection into a value conversation.
Question 7: During an in-home assessment, you notice white scale buildup on the showerhead and water heater. This evidence most strongly suggests:
- High iron content
- Bacterial contamination
- Hard water with elevated calcium and magnesium (Correct answer)
- Elevated chlorine residual
Correct answer: Hard water with elevated calcium and magnesium
White or gray scale deposits are the hallmark sign of hard water caused by calcium and magnesium mineral deposits.
CWS Customer Needs Assessment & Sales 2
A homeowner complains their water leaves blue-green stains in the sink.
Which water quality issue does this most likely indicate?