pain points: The Four Fs framework
To better identify and understand customer pain points — and align to the types noted above — I use a strategy I call the Four Fs: First, Finest, Failure, and Future. You can use this strategy to understand a customer’s current business challenges or to gain insight into the shortcomings of the product or service a prospect is currently using.
First: Talk with your customer to understand what’s bothering them.
You’re trying to pinpoint the challenges they’re having in achieving goals. To do this, you first need to know what they want to do. For example, do they want to improve afghanistan phone number list efficiencies or boost sales for a certain product? Once you know what their goals are, you can start digging into what’s preventing them from getting there.
Finest: Ask them about the best experiences they’ve had with a product or service they’re currently using.
You could also ask about an internal process that works really well for them — discovery interviews or launching new initiatives, for example. Understanding what they value most can highlight what’s working well and reveal even more about their business goals.
Failure: Discuss moments where they felt let down or faced challenges with a product or service they were using.
Ask about what’s currently failing them or standing in the way of business goals. Apart from learning what’s going wrong, you want to understand how this impacts business more broadly. This information helps you pinpoint specific areas where a service or product is falling short so you can tailor your pitch and recommend a better solution.