Which type of questions focuses on specific difficulties, problems, or dissatisfactions experienced by the prospect?

The correct answer is problem questions, which are specifically designed to uncover the challenges, issues, or frustrations that a prospect may be facing. These questions help sales professionals gain insights into the potential obstacles their prospects encounter, allowing them to tailor their solutions effectively. By focusing on specific difficulties, problems, or dissatisfactions, salespeople can position their offerings as solutions that directly address the identified needs of the prospect.

Open questions, while useful for generally encouraging discussion and gathering broad information, do not specifically target problems and tend to elicit more expansive responses rather than focusing on particular issues. Need payoff questions, on the other hand, are aimed at helping prospects recognize the benefits of potential solutions, and qualifying questions are used to ascertain a prospect's suitability and readiness to engage in a sales conversation. Each of these question types serves a distinct purpose, but only problem questions are dedicated to identifying the specific challenges that prospects might be experiencing.