Rob Tolley (former London broker) - Objection Handling 101

Objection handling refers to the methods used to address and overcome customer objections about a product or service. It is a crucial skill in customer service and sales.

Successful professionals, like former London broker Rob Tolley, emphasize the importance of situational awareness—understanding the context behind objections to address them effectively. Empathy and patience are key, ensuring that objections are seen as reasonable concerns rather than frustrations.

The process includes asking thoughtful, open-ended questions to uncover underlying issues and anticipating objections by researching customer pain points. The "Objection Breakthrough Formula" (break, disrupt, ask) is a three-step approach that shifts emotional responses, offers alternative perspectives, and refocuses on the original objective.

Ultimately, objections should be viewed as opportunities to align with customer goals and drive mutual success.

1. Rob Tolley -
Objection Handling
101
Objection handling refers to the techniques and processes deployed
to address and overcome customer objections regarding a service or
product. It's a vital skill for those involved in customer service or
sales.

2. Handling Objections
1
Situational Awareness
Successful CEOs – like Rob Tolley, former London
broker – know that maintaining situational awareness
is a key part of successful objection handling. In a
nutshell, this means understanding the
circumstances informing the customer or prospect's
objection in order to address them effectively.
2
Customer Focus
Keeping the focus on the customer's needs and
interests is one of the main factors in doing this.
3
Empathy
Experienced managers such as Rob Tolley
understand that empathy is also important, and
those who are successful at handling objections are
well aware that (in most cases) these objections
reflect reasonable concerns.
4
Patience
The objection handler should remain patient, even in
the case of pushback, and always avoid becoming
frustrated.

3. Asking the Right Questions
Open-Ended
Questions
The ability to ask open-
ended and thoughtful
questions is the foundation of
great objection handling
skills.
Tactful Approach
Relevant, tactful questions
are often the best place to
start, and the objection
handler should be mindful to
give the customer or
prospect the time and space
to answer them thoroughly.
Encourage Expression
Those with objections should feel able to air their thoughts in
order for the objection handler to best discover the underlying
pain points.

4. Anticipating Objections
1
Identify Potential Objections
Effective objection handling relies on anticipating
objections in the first place. This involves identifying
and thinking about potential objections a customer or
prospect could raise and preparing an appropriate
response for each of these.
2
Research
A fundamental part of doing this is research; the
customer or prospect's goals, pain points and business
(where relevant) should all be considered.
3
Create Customer-Specific Responses
This enables the creation of customer-specific
responses to possible objections.

5. The Objection Breakthrough Formula
1
Break
The first step disrupts the emotional
response through pre-prepared
responses.
2
Disrupt
The second step aims to pique the
customer or prospect's interest and
offer an alternative perspective.
3
Ask
The final stage steers the
discussion back to the original
objective and is an opportunity to
reiterate the value of the action first
proposed in order to obtain
agreement or compromise.

6. Navigating Towards a Mutual Goal
Opportunity for
Collaboration
Ultimately, a customer or prospect
objection can be regarded as an
opportunity to work towards a
mutual goal and a chance to
transform an obstruction into a
gateway.
Regular Practice
For best results, objection handling
should be embraced and regularly
practiced.
Integration into Customer
Success
Objection handling should be
incorporated into the overall
customer success toolkit.

7. Key Takeaways
Empathy
Understand and address
customer concerns with empathy
and patience.
Questioning
Ask thoughtful, open-ended
questions to uncover underlying
issues.
Preparation
Anticipate objections and
prepare customer-specific
responses.
Mutual Goals
View objections as opportunities
to work towards mutual goals.