Just realized everyone says to ask open-ended questions, but I got a better answer with a yes/no one.

I was helping a friend fix his old Ford truck in his garage last weekend, and I asked him 'What's the exact sound you're hearing?' like all the guides say. He just shrugged. Then I asked 'Is it a clicking or a grinding noise?' and he immediately said 'Clicking, from the front left.' We found a loose brake pad clip in 20 minutes. Maybe sometimes being too open just confuses people. Has anyone else found that simple, direct questions work better than the 'perfect' open ones?

3 comments

3 Comments

cameron41610d ago

Ever notice how people freeze up when you ask for a detailed description? A simple choice gives their brain a starting point. It works for way more than just car trouble.

zara_hill4625d ago

My uncle's a mechanic and he always starts with "hot or cold" and "loud or quiet" questions. Gets you in the ballpark fast.

phoenix62525d ago

Used to think that was too simple. Figured you needed all the details right away. But then my buddy described his car making a "tapping sound when it's cold" and I knew it was a lifter right off. Those two questions cut through the noise. Gets you past the "it just sounds bad" stuff.