An incumbent objection describes an existing buying decision: it records the past while leaving the future open.1 Treat the current supplier as something to understand. Respect the choice, learn what the arrangement does well, and test one specific gap. Let the prospect explain the incumbent in their own words before you offer a comparison. This keeps discovery going long enough to find a reason for a second conversation.
Start with respect
Lower the pressure around the current choice. Confirm what the prospect said, then ask a question that lets them add detail.
When a prospect says they are happy with their current solution, acknowledge that they already have one before probing it.2 A short response is "That's fantastic".3 If they name a vendor, you can say, "I figured you'd be using something already," and use that response as a buffer before continuing.4 You can also compliment the current solution before asking about it.5
Keep your tone matter of fact. The prospect should feel free to describe what works without preparing to defend the decision.
Map the current arrangement
Once the prospect is comfortable discussing the incumbent, learn how the choice was made. Those answers provide context for the questions that follow.
Ask who they currently use.6 Then ask how long they have used it and what prompted the move.7 Ask this: "What are you loving about it?"8 Follow with "What made you bring it on in the first place?" and keep asking about the answer.9
Listen for the result they wanted when they made the purchase and the part of the relationship they now value. Describe the current arrangement in the prospect's own terms before moving on.
Find the review window
Timing tells you whether the prospect has a live reason to assess a change. Get this before spending the call on a feature comparison.
Ask about contract timing before anything else.10 An existing vendor relationship carries an implied contract, an ongoing relationship, and probably a renewal date.11 Ask when the current agreement can be reviewed and what would trigger that review.
If the review window is close, tie the next conversation to the decision the prospect will need to make. If it is distant, identify the condition that would make an earlier discussion useful. You should know when reconsideration could happen and what would cause it.
Test one gap
Use one narrow question tied to a situation where the current setup may fall short. Keep the prospect doing the explaining, because their answer gives you a reason to continue.
After asking about timing, ask one narrow capability question.12 Ask about a situation with the current provider that you already have reason to believe is painful.13 Then ask how the current provider handles that capability so the prospect can reach the answer on their own terms.14
Once the prospect confirms a problem, ask: "Besides that challenge, what else are you dealing with that's causing you to look elsewhere?"15 A specific bad fit gives you an objection you can work with.16
Do not turn this into a catalogue of your own capabilities. Stay with the gap long enough to learn who feels it, when it matters, and what happens if it remains.
Keep the conversation useful
The gap
- If the gap is real, ask for
- If none exists, leave the conversation
A strong incumbent may still leave room for a focused conversation. Choose a path that respects the existing relationship and gives the prospect a clear reason to keep talking.
Position your offering as complementary when that fits the situation, and speak positively about the current provider.17 You can begin building a relationship even while the incumbent remains in place.18 If the gap is real, ask for a next conversation tied to that gap and the review window.
Give the next step a reason. Refer to the capability the prospect discussed, the timing they gave you, or the condition that would cause them to reconsider. Move on when the prospect agrees that one of those conditions deserves a closer look. If none exists, leave the conversation cleanly and preserve the relationship.
What not to do
These mistakes turn a useful objection into a defensive exchange. Learn whether the current choice leaves room for change without attacking it.
- Do not make the prospect feel they made a bad decision or disparage the current group, because you can disqualify yourself.19
- Do not attack the incumbent, because that forces the prospect to defend a decision they already made.20
- Do not tell the prospect that the current provider is bad and list reasons why.21
- Do not assume that naming a vendor proves a strong relationship; determine whether the prospect truly has one or is simply uninterested.22
- Do not stop at the vendor name; investigate how the prospect uses the solution.23