SMART Objective and Pre Call Planning Customer AnalysisFebruary 17, 2025

Managing Limitation

Introduction 

Most products, companies and services have certain limitations. Once you have answered all the customer’s perceived needs (with the features and benefits of your products and services) and the customer raise a need that you are unable to meet with your product and service, you have uncovered a customer limitation.

At this point it is very important to acknowledge this limitation and respect it. Admitting openly that your product cannot address this need is the first step to managing a limitation.

This approach is very important, as it will add credibility to both the salesperson and the company.



This is not mean that you have o walk away from the sale.

The following model provides a good structure for managing limitations:

• Explore to understand the limitation fully
• Acknowledge the limitation
• Put the limitation into perspective
• Balance the limitation with relevant accepted benefits
• Gain agreement that the limitation has been managed

Explore to understand the limitation fully

Phrase the limitation as a question

For example:          “Do you mean to say that you are not happy                                  with the current safety profile?”

                              “What is your specific concern about the                                          safety profile?”

                               “Why is that a particular worry for you”
Show the customer you are listening and interested. This will also buy you thinking time.

Identify the cause and make it specific

Most limitations arise from two source: hearsay/third party (e.g. competitor’s claims), or from the customer’s own experience. By identifying the cause of the limitation you can then make it specific. For example, if a customer is worried about cost, ask him what he is comparing it to. Is he comparing like with like?

Clarify the real concern

You may ask the customer if his stated objection is the only reason for not using your product. If the answer is “yes”, that’s the only reason, then you know it is the real reason, on the other hand, if there is a bigger underlying objection, this is the time it will surface.

WHEN YOU THINK THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE LIMITATION (WHAT AND WHY)

Acknowledge the limitation

It is important that you do not agree with the customer’s perspective of the limitation. Instead, acknowledge the ‘reasonableness’ of his or her position.



You might say:          “I understand the importance of using                                             products which farmers are happy to                                              take.”

                                    “it is important to prescribe products                                                which farmers can afford.” Your intention in acknowledging, is to demonstrate to the customer that you have heard the limitation, recognize it and want to deal with it in a professional way. As with other customer challenges, exploring at this stage will help to differentiate you from other representative who takes the “yes! But…” approach.

Put the limitation into perspective

True limitation cannot be changed they have to be ‘handled’ and put into perspective. All you can do is to try to get the customer to see how the limitation fits in to the overall picture of what you are offering. In other words, get the customer to see that the limitation is only a part of the offering and cannot the whole picture.

If your product is ‘premium-priced’ and works better than competition, the customer may be persuaded that extra cost provides extra benefits.

You might say:        “ Since cost is an important consideration                                       for you, I wonder if we could look at cost in                                   relation to the other benefits we have                                             discussed?”

Balance the limitation with other relevant accepted benefits

This step is really an application of the summary stage of closing. You need to remind the customer about the relevant benefits he/she has accepted.

You might say:        “We have seen that ABC injection one vial                                     BD followed by one vial once a day for two                                     days, kills all infection causing bacteria                                         quickly and effectively. It takes care of B-                                       lactamase producing bacteria also as it                                           contains ABC. And cure rate is as high as                                       97%. Farmer will be able save the cost of                                       having to see again and prescribing them                                       alternative antibiotics"

                                 “In addition, because of four vial dose,                                            instead of 6 vials, farmer will be saved                                             money of 2 vials.
Note: in each case, the benefits stated relate back to cost, which was the cause of the original objection, this is important since it shows the customer that you understand their perspective and are trying to help them resolve the whole cost issue. In effect, you are asking them to consider the cost of ownership of the treatment rather than the comparative cost of the product.

Gain agreement that the limitation has been managed

Here, you are checking to see how the customer feels about what you have said. You may need to offer some proof if the customer has any doubts at this stage.

You may say.           “When you consider how effective and cost-                                   efficient ABC product is, does that make                                       the cost of each treatment sound more                                           reasonable?”

Managing limitation exercise

Give some examples of the most common limitation you encounter in you daily sales situation on our feedback form or comment box
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Managing Limitations Summary

• Explore to understand the limitation fully.
• Acknowledge the limitation.
• Put the limitation into perspective.
• Balance the limitation with relevant accepted benefits. 
• Gain agreement that the limitation has been managed. 

In this post we have learn about how to Close A Sales Closing Of Sales Call this lesson is very useful for us if we are a professional salesperson. 

if we have done this part it means we have go to right direction with customer 

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