What do you do if a functional customer asks for an immediate solution instead of describing the problem?

If a functional customer requests an immediate solution without describing the problem, I try to clarify the context and the goal of the request. Usually, I ask questions to understand:

• What business problem needs to be solved?
• What are the constraints or requirements?
• What are the expected consequences of the solution?

If the customer insists on a specific solution without explaining the problem, I explain the risks of this approach — possible overlooked nuances that could lead to ineffective or incorrect results.

Ultimately, I suggest jointly formulating the problem and success criteria to propose an optimal solution that meets the actual needs. This approach helps avoid misunderstandings and improves the quality of the result.