Positive feedback during a demo feels like a win. When a customer says, “That’s great!” it’s easy to interpret it as validation that your product is resonating and solving their problem. And yes, that feedback is worth celebrating!
But here’s where many solution engineers go wrong: they jump to conclusions, double down on the complimented feature, and assume they’ve uncovered a critical pain point. The reality? Most people are polite and generous with positive feedback—it doesn’t always mean you’ve hit the jackpot.
Here’s how to handle these moments effectively.
The Risk of Positive Feedback
While it’s natural to feel good about a compliment, there’s a danger in overinterpreting it. Positive feedback often doesn’t mean you’ve uncovered a real issue or need. Instead, it can be a polite way for the customer to show engagement without committing to the value of what they’ve seen.
If you react by immediately diving deeper into the feature they complimented, you risk wasting time or steering the conversation in the wrong direction.
What to Do Instead
When you hear “That’s great!”, pause and take a moment to celebrate internally. Then, follow up with a question to dig deeper and uncover the true context behind their feedback.
Here’s a go-to response:
„Thank you, that’s good to hear. Can you tell me how this is different from what you are doing today?“
This simple question does two things:
1️⃣ It helps you understand their current process.
2️⃣ It reveals the magnitude of the problem they’re trying to solve.
Why This Approach Works
By asking a follow-up question, you get a better sense of whether the feature they complimented is a genuine solution to a real pain point—or just something they think looks nice.
Let’s break it down with two possible outcomes:
1️⃣ The compliment isn’t tied to a real issue.
Customer: “Well, I haven’t really thought about this yet, but I like the idea!”
👉 In this case, the feature is more of a nice-to-have. It’s not solving an urgent problem, so you’ll need to continue probing to find where the real value lies.
2️⃣ The compliment uncovers a genuine pain point.
Customer: “For our monthly reporting, I have to manually export and import data. It takes about an hour, and any changes mean starting over.”
👉 BOOM! Now you’ve uncovered a real, pressing issue. You can explore how your solution addresses this challenge and highlight the specific value it brings to their workflow.
A Bonus Question to Test Urgency
If you’re unsure how critical the feature is, try this “fearful” question:
„Do you think we should push back the launch to add that feature, or could it wait until later?“
This question helps you gauge how important the feature is to the customer. If they hesitate or say it’s not a big deal, you know it’s a nice-to-have. If they insist it’s essential, you’ve uncovered a potential dealbreaker that warrants further attention.
The Takeaway
When a customer says, “That’s great!” during a demo, take it as an opportunity—not a conclusion.
✅ Celebrate the positive feedback.
✅ Pause and ask follow-up questions to understand their situation better.
✅ Identify whether the compliment ties to a real, significant problem.
✅ Only then, double down on that feature.
By staying curious and digging deeper, you’ll avoid jumping to premature conclusions and instead focus on what truly matters to the customer.
