Benefits and Attributes deep dive

In many customer conversations, it’s easy to focus on product features. These are important, but a strong solution also helps the customer understand what makes the product useful, relevant and suited to their needs. By placing the customer at the centre of the solution, consultants can create a stronger connection and show they understand what matters most.

Our Top Sales Contact Centre survey of 2020 revealed, on average, 3 in 4 consultants are simply providing a product description as their solution. With many products now available online, customers who choose to contact a company by phone are often looking for a more personalised experience. They hope to receive more than just a consultant reciting the website descriptions.

However, one team is showcasing a customer-centric approach to the solution, emphasising attributes and benefits on 95% of interactions!

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The good news is that it’s possible to improve quickly, using a very simple micro-behavioural approach. Here’s how.

Micro-behaviour: Benefits and Attributes

What is it?
Clearly advising what the product/service can do for the customer or how it can benefit them. An attribute describes the advantage of the features of the product (what the feature does) whereas a benefit explains how a feature will make the customer’s life easier or better.

Why is it important?
By highlighting the advantage or explaining how a feature will make the customer’s life easier, the consultant demonstrates that they truly understand what the customer is looking for. This then forms a connection that a website can never match.

When?
Once you have developed a good understanding of what the customer is after and confirmed this with them let them know a little bit about how the product works (the feature). But now resist the urge to keep going on about features and instead pause and tell the customer the advantage that the solution has for them. And if you are delivering personal advice let them know how the solution makes their life better.

How?
To do this micro-behaviour well you first need to have demonstrated the two micro-behaviours we covered previously “Understand the WHY” and “Expand on the WHY”. Equipped with the information you can then 1) explain the feature, 2) describe the benefit/attribute 3) Ask the customer what they think. 

You may be surprised by how positively customers respond.

Mini execution plan:

Implementing this in your team will take a sustained effort so here’s how to get started.

Day 1: Run a focus session to explore the What, Why and How of the Benefits and Attributes micro-behaviour.

Set a goal: Uncover the customer’s reason for calling on five calls during the day, write it down and come prepared to discuss these at the end of the day.

Day 2: Run a focus session to practice using the 3 steps described above. Make sure you practise using real-life scenarios from yesterday.  

Set a goal: Ask the team to understand why the customer has called and use the 3 steps five times during the day.

Day 3 to 5: Review previous day’s learning, identify and discuss the impact on the customer, and share best practice.

Set a goal: Gradually increase the frequency that the Benefit and Attributes micro-behaviour is demonstrated.

End of the week: Review how far you have come and the impact the team is having on the customer experience (and themselves). Then celebrate because that feeling of success drives habit formation!

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