5 Whys

Customer calls. We've lost a big deal. One we were invested in, one we really wanted, one we were sure we'd get.

So we start asking why.

The First Answer Isn't The Real Answer

The first why almost always lands on price. That's natural. It's the easy answer, the one that ends the conversation fast. But price is rarely the whole story.

Give the conversation room. It might not happen right away. It could take two weeks. But keep asking, and you'll usually find the real why underneath: delivery, quality, responsiveness, how fast you got them a quote. Sometimes the decision was already made before you ever picked up the phone.

Ask Why Enough Times To Get There

It's a running joke in my family. We never answer a question with an answer. We answer it with another question, and then another, until someone finally says, "just answer the question," and we let it go. It's a joke, but it's also good sales practice.

Customers don't mind the conversation when you frame it right: "Help me understand how I can improve to help you in the future." That question opens doors the first why never will.

It usually takes four, five, six whys to get to the root. And it's the relationship you've built with that customer that earns you the right to keep asking.

Use the 5 Whys to get to the root, then fix the core problem, not just the symptom.

Roy Waterhouse is the founder of Lean Sales Group, where he coaches salespeople on building trust and growing accounts.