When you restate your customer’s statement or objections in your own words, you can accomplish two things. First, you let your customer know that you are listening and trying to understand him. Second, you confirm that you got it right – you have correctly interpreted the customer’s statement.

Customer Tells: Delivering World Class Customer Service by Reading Your Customer’s Signs and Signals (by Dr. Marty Seldman, John Futterknecht and Ben Sorensen) suggests three steps to restating correctly:

1. Be sure to give your full attention to your customer.
2. Avoid interruption!
3. Wait for a natural pause in the customer’s speech, and then summarize what you have heard in your own words (don’t sound like a parrot).

Restating your customer’s objection may be the most important step in handling the objection. Try it on your next dem, and let us know.