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During a sales cycle, it's common to encounter customers who request many features. Some of these features are essential, but others may be more of a “nice to have.” The challenge is determining which requests are true needs — the kind that drive business value — and which ones are merely preferences.
Understanding this difference helps you focus on delivering the right solution with your devs and avoiding unnecessary complexity. Here’s how to do that.
The first and most important step is to ask questions. Many times, customers don’t immediately explain why they need a certain feature. By digging deeper, you can uncover what’s really behind their request.
Ask open-ended questions like:
These types of questions help shift the conversation from “what” they want to “why” they want it — a crucial difference.
An important point to keep in mind: just because a feature sounds innovative doesn’t mean it solves the real problem. AI features, for instance, can underdeliver when the basics aren’t in place.
Often, feature requests are a reaction to a deeper issue in the organization. One helpful way to guide the conversation is by identifying bottlenecks in their processes. Bottlenecks can point to inefficiencies that slow down operations or lead to errors.
To find them, ask about their existing workflow:
When there are backlogs or people waiting for others to act, you’re likely looking at a bottleneck. Once you know the bottleneck, it becomes easier to understand which features would genuinely make a difference.
Another way to separate must-haves from nice-to-haves is to create a basic business case with the customer. Try to quantify the impact of the requested feature by asking:
If a feature has a clear and measurable benefit, it’s more likely to be a must-have. Here’s how to define and track that value. If the value is vague or hard to quantify, it may not be a top priority.
Once you've clarified the purpose and impact of a feature, you can work with the customer to prioritize. A simple way to do this is by balancing two key factors:
Features with high impact and low effort are clear wins. Those with low impact and high effort often fall into the “nice to have” category. You can visualize this in a matrix or simple list to make decisions easier.
This method helps customers focus on what really matters and gives you a clear path forward — whether you’re building with Triggre or other tools.
Understanding the difference between essential features and optional ones is key to delivering successful automation projects. By asking the right questions, identifying bottlenecks, building a business case, and prioritizing based on value and effort, you’ll help your customers make better decisions — and get better results.
