Stihl Communication & Stakeholder Engagement 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A customer asks whether a Stihl MS 170 is adequate for felling large hardwood trees. The honest answer is no. How should the salesperson respond?
- Explain the saw's intended light-duty use and recommend a model matched to the customer's actual task (Correct answer)
- Sell the MS 170 anyway since the customer asked for it
- Say all Stihl saws cut everything equally well
- Refuse to sell any saw to the customer
Correct answer: Explain the saw's intended light-duty use and recommend a model matched to the customer's actual task
Needs-based selling requires matching the product to the customer's real application, even if it means redirecting the initial request.
Question 2: Which stakeholder group must a dealership keep informed about a product safety recall on a battery pack?
- All registered purchasers of the affected product, staff, and the distributor per Stihl's recall procedure (Correct answer)
- Only customers who happen to visit the store
- Only the dealership's accounting department
- No one, unless a customer reports an injury
Correct answer: All registered purchasers of the affected product, staff, and the distributor per Stihl's recall procedure
Recall procedures require notifying all affected registered owners, informing staff, and coordinating with the distributor to remove risk quickly.
Question 3: A technician must explain to a customer why their warranty claim was denied due to use of improper fuel. What communication approach works best?
- Show the physical evidence of fuel-related damage, explain the warranty terms, and advise how to prevent the issue in the future (Correct answer)
- Simply state 'warranty denied' and hand back the equipment
- Blame the customer harshly for negligence
- Approve the claim anyway to avoid an uncomfortable conversation
Correct answer: Show the physical evidence of fuel-related damage, explain the warranty terms, and advise how to prevent the issue in the future
Evidence-based explanation paired with forward-looking advice turns a denial into an educational moment that preserves the relationship.
Question 4: During a busy Saturday, three customers need help at once. What is the best front-counter communication practice?
- Acknowledge each waiting customer, give a realistic wait estimate, and serve them in order (Correct answer)
- Focus only on the first customer and ignore the others until finished
- Serve whoever seems most likely to make a big purchase
- Ask waiting customers to come back another day
Correct answer: Acknowledge each waiting customer, give a realistic wait estimate, and serve them in order
Acknowledging waiting customers with honest time estimates keeps everyone engaged and reduces walkouts during peak traffic.
Question 5: A municipal parks department is considering switching its fleet to battery equipment. What engagement approach best serves this stakeholder?
- Arrange an on-site demonstration and provide runtime, charging, and total-cost data tailored to their workload (Correct answer)
- Send a generic product brochure by mail
- Tell them battery equipment is identical to gas so no evaluation is needed
- Discourage the switch because gas equipment has higher margins
Correct answer: Arrange an on-site demonstration and provide runtime, charging, and total-cost data tailored to their workload
Commercial and institutional stakeholders make decisions on demonstrated performance and cost data specific to their operations.
Question 6: What is the primary purpose of following up with a customer a week after a major equipment purchase?
- To confirm the equipment is performing well, answer questions, and reinforce the service relationship (Correct answer)
- To pressure the customer into buying accessories immediately
- To ask the customer to remove any negative reviews
- To verify the customer's payment cleared
Correct answer: To confirm the equipment is performing well, answer questions, and reinforce the service relationship
Post-sale follow-up catches early problems, builds loyalty, and positions the dealer as a long-term service partner.
Question 7: A non-English-speaking customer is struggling to understand safety instructions for a new brushcutter. What should the dealer do?
- Use available translated manuals, visual demonstrations, and pictogram labels to ensure the safety message is understood (Correct answer)
- Speak louder in English
- Skip the safety briefing since the customer cannot understand it
- Refuse the sale
Correct answer: Use available translated manuals, visual demonstrations, and pictogram labels to ensure the safety message is understood
Safety communication must be adapted with translated materials and demonstrations so every customer understands correct, safe operation.
Stihl Communication & Stakeholder Engagement 3
A customer asks whether a Stihl MS 170 is adequate for felling large hardwood trees.
The honest answer is no.
How should the salesperson respond?