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When you are back at your office trying to fill out your Q sheets, you sometimes find you missed a filter. When you notice a miss, make sure it is not attainment measurement. Find this out before you propose products to avoid any misses. Without the attainment measurements, it is difficult to make your customers' conditional commitments measurable—and difficult to figure out what it takes for them to say yes.

After reviewing your Q sheets, plan your follow-up questions (review Chapter 5) before you call the customer. The table in Exhibit 6-7 shows how Steven would plan his clarifying questions if he found out that his Q sheet had fluff in it (it doesn't) and he had to call Olivia back. It is divided into four columns as follows:

1. Q sheet remarks that lack details or measurable data (in dollars)

2. Clarifying questions you need to ask to make the data measurable

3. Reasons why you need to know this information

4. How you would handle the situation if the customer asked you to explain the reason for your question

Q sheet boxes that lack details or measurable data (in dollars)	Call-back question to seek specifics	Reason for asking the question	Response to the customer asking, "What do you mean?"
Decision Makers: Olivia has final approval if it stays within her budget. Otherwise, she needs to get corporate approval.	What's involved with getting corporate approval?	Make sure Olivia knows what we need to do if we can achieve her goals, but we go over budget.	Let Olivia know that corporate approval procedures and timing might affect her ability (and yours) to meet her deadlines.

Exhibit 6-7: Call-back questions.

Note

As a general rule of thumb, do not call customers unless you have new, relevant information for them. Give them new information before you try to obtain specifics from them. Make the exchange of information mutually beneficial. The customer should end the discussion by saying, "Interesting, I did not know that. Thanks.'' (A follow-up question planner can be found at www.measuremax.com.)