Building Customer Empathy

For over 25 years, I've had the privilege of working as and with pre-sales and solution consulting (SE) professionals—what I believe is one of the most exciting and rewarding roles in the IT industry. Being a trusted technical advisor, solving complex customer problems, and doing everything in the dynamic sales backdrop makes the role unique.

However, a common challenge I've experienced—and one I see echoed in many sales engineers—is the urge to jump straight into deep technical conversations to prove expertise, often to quiet that inner critic. In my enthusiasm, I'd focus on why our solution was positioned in the top right-hand corner of the Gartner Magic Quadrant, sometimes losing sight of the "why" that truly matters to the customer.

This workshop was born out of those experiences. I developed this program with engineers and leadership to create space for reflection and discovery. It's not just about addressing a specific problem, calculating ROI or TCO—it's about uncovering the broader business impact of your solutions. Often, even customers themselves aren't fully aware of the secondary and tertiary benefits your offerings can bring.

Over the past five years, this workshop has been refined and delivered to sales teams, engineers, solution consultants, and architects across EMEA, both in person and virtually. It's designed to equip participants with the skills, tools, and confidence to engage customers in an insightful, impactful, and customer-focused way.

Outcomes

  • Increase Relevance with broader customer insights, resulting in increased diversity and quality of pipeline

  • Refreshed Presentation Skills: Build confidence and clarity when communicating technical concepts.

  • Soft Skills Development: Strengthen active listening, questioning techniques, and empathy in customer interactions.

  • Value Mapping: Participants create a detailed value map for one of their customers to apply what they've learned immediately.

  • Practical Tools and Techniques: Overcome common obstacles and avoid conversational traps.

Key Details

  • Duration: 4 hours

  • Participants: 6–12 people

What Participants Say

"The workshop transformed the way I approach customer conversations. I now focus on their broader business needs, and it's made a huge difference in building trust and aligning solutions."

— Senior Sales Engineer

"I came away with practical tools and a new perspective on value mapping. It's not just about ROI; it's about making a real difference for the customer."

— Solutions Architect