Customer Needs Assessments require active listening and quick critical thinking.  Customer needs assessments serve as tools to help clients problem solve.  They work well to address and resolve customer vision and priorities, create and capitalize on business opportunities, end dissatisfaction with underperforming suppliers, recover deteriorating relationships, strengthen existing relationships, grow and thrive in developing industries, develop greater understanding of a competitor, and improve overall performance. 

This makes customer needs assessments seem straight forward, and in many cases, they are not.  The best and most successful consultants will listen to what the client says about the customer needs assessment and be able to sift through the words to pull out the real issue, which may be hidden. 

This boils down to one of my favorite principles of business management and relationship management: listening.  It is a very real, very critical and powerful skill.