In competitive markets, one objection comes up more than almost any other: “We’re happy with our existing supplier.”
And quite right too! They’ve made a considered decision, and everyone likes to make more good decisions than bad ones. Trying to shift them without a really compelling case, backed by stacks of evidence, is almost arrogant.
Go round it, not through it
Building that case takes time, so why not leave the issue alone for now? Instead, find a way to earn the prospect’s trust and confidence:
- Find something the existing supplier doesn’t currently provide
- Make it easy for them to implement, and easy for you to deliver
- Effectively, ask for a few crumbs to start with
Then let your service do the talking
That small start gives you the chance to demonstrate your service level, develop the relationship and start adding value with advice in areas the preferred supplier doesn’t cover.
Soon they begin to unsettle from the status quo and think: “Why aren’t we getting this from our current supplier?” The opportunity may even present itself when the incumbent under-delivers, or simply doesn’t show they care as much.
Another angle
If you discover they’ve considered changing before but never gone ahead, your offer probably isn’t appealing enough to justify the pain of change. Gently bring their attention to the disruption their current choice causes (without criticising the provider):
“You mentioned that when the system goes down it causes significant disruption, and your staff have to compensate. How frustrating would it be to revisit this again in a year’s time, when you could put something in place now?”
Want your team doing this every day?
Reading a tip is easy. Making it a habit across a whole team is where training comes in.
Talk to Martyn