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Need Type Classifier

by @quochungto

Classify customer statements from sales calls as Implied Needs (problems, difficulties, dissatisfactions) or Explicit Needs (wants, desires, intentions to ac...

⚑ When to Use
TriggerAction
This skill applies specifically to B2B discovery calls and enterprise sales contexts where the distinction between a customer's expressed problems (Implied Needs) and expressed desires (Explicit Needs) determines what happens next. If you are in a large-sale context (high value, multiple stakeholders, long cycle), this distinction is load-bearing: treating an Implied Need as a buying signal is the primary cause of premature solution presentations and stalled deals.
Use this skill:
- During or after a discovery call, to classify what the prospect actually expressed
- When building or updating a needs log from call notes
- Before moving to demo or proposal stage, to verify you have Explicit Needs to link capabilities to
- When coaching a rep who thinks a call went well because "the customer agreed to problems"
Do NOT use this skill to generate follow-up questions (use `spin-discovery-question-planner`) or to draft capability presentations (use `benefit-statement-drafter`).
πŸ’‘ Examples

Scenario: Post-call classification of transcript excerpt (large enterprise deal)

Trigger: Rep shares: "Here are four things our prospect said on the call today. Did the call go well?" Statements: 1. "Our current reporting is really painful β€” it takes the team 2 days to pull together the board deck." 2. "We've had compliance issues with our current data process." 3. "We're actively evaluating vendors for a new reporting platform." 4. "We have about 50 analysts who use the system."

Process:

  • Statement 1: Implied Need β€” "really painful," "takes 2 days" = dissatisfaction with current situation. Next move: Develop with Implication Questions (what does the 2-day delay cost? who is affected?).
  • Statement 2: Implied Need β€” "compliance issues" = problem statement. Next move: Develop with Implication Questions (what are the consequences of non-compliance?).
  • Statement 3: Explicit Need β€” "actively evaluating vendors" = stated intention to act. Next move: Capitalize with a Benefit β€” this is a buying signal.
  • Statement 4: Neither β€” factual background. No action.
  • Large-sale gate: 2 Implied Needs, 1 Explicit Need. The call surfaced good raw material but is NOT ready for solution presentation yet β€” Statement 3 is the only Explicit Need. The rep should develop Statements 1 and 2 further before presenting capabilities.
  • Output: Needs classification report written to needs-log.md. Rep advised to plan Implication Questions for the next call and NOT lead with a product demo.


    Scenario: Single statement quick-check (large sale)

    Trigger: "My prospect said 'we're not happy with our current platform.' Is that a buying signal?" Process: Classify the single statement. "Not happy with" = dissatisfaction = Implied Need. Apply large-sale gate: no, this is NOT a buying signal in a large sale. The customer has expressed a problem, not a desire for change. Next move: develop with Implication Questions. Output: Classification report (short form). Clear warning that treating this as a buying signal would be premature β€” this is the error that cost the inexperienced telecom rep the deal in the book (CS-07).


    Scenario: Pre-demo sufficiency check

    Trigger: Rep asks: "We have a demo tomorrow. Here's our needs log from the last two calls β€” are we ready?" Process: Read needs-log.md. Count Implied vs Explicit Needs. Apply large-sale gate: if the needs log contains only Implied Needs and no Explicit Needs, the customer has not yet expressed a want or desire that can be linked to a Benefit. A demo at this stage risks presenting Features and Advantages to a customer who has not confirmed any Explicit Need β€” which predicts objections and value challenges, not advancement. Output: Pre-demo sufficiency report. If Explicit Needs are present: ready to proceed, list which capabilities can be linked to which Explicit Needs. If no Explicit Needs: recommend one more discovery call to develop the strongest Implied Need into an Explicit Need before presenting.

    View on ClawHub
    TERMINAL
    clawhub install bookforge-need-type-classifier

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