Time to Ask Customers Tough Questions

Nobody likes asking -- or answering -- tough questions. But sometimes that's just what small business owners need to do with their clients, and year's end is a good time to do it, says Scott Messer, a principal and coach at Sales Evolution outside Philadelphia.Messer, who has been working with small businesses for more than a decade, says plowing through "scary" questions helps entrepreneurs develop lasting, personal relationships with their customers that ultimately improve sales.He spoke recently to Smart Answers columnist Karen E. Klein. Edited excerpts of their conversation follow.