Customers say “I’m not the one who decides this” for a reason. Here is what usually sits behind it, how to respond and what to avoid.
Your contact may be telling the truth, stepping back politely, or protecting their position. Either way they are a route to the decision, not an obstacle. If you treat them as a gate to get past, they will close it; if you help them, they can open it.
Typical in: Software and SaaS, Professional services, Manufacturing and logistics, Telecom and energy
Pick the framework that fits the customer. The wording is an example direction, not a script: say it in your own words.
Show you heard it, then ask an open question before you respond.
“Thank you for being straight with me. You probably know how decisions like this get made. Who else would be involved, and what would matter most to them?” Treat the answer as information, not a handover.
Shrink the decision to something low-risk that moves things forward.
“It would be useful to have a short summary that you can pass on, written for them rather than for you. May I send it, and could we agree that I check back with you on Thursday to see how it landed?”
Point to the right person, time or channel without losing the thread.
“Would it make sense for the three of us to talk for ten minutes, so you do not have to carry the questions back and forth? I can prepare what each of you would want to know.”
After your response, ask:
What would the person who decides want to see before they would even look at this?
Avoid: Then please put me through to someone who can decide.
It dismisses the person you are talking to and tests their patience. They are likely to protect their time and yours by ending the call.
Reading is not the same as saying it. Talk to an AI customer who raises this kind of objection and see in the report which sentence helped.
Practise this objectionYour contact may be telling the truth, stepping back politely, or protecting their position. Either way they are a route to the decision, not an obstacle. If you treat them as a gate to get past, they will close it; if you help them, they can open it.
Acknowledge, then ask: “Thank you for being straight with me. You probably know how decisions like this get made. Who else would be involved, and what would matter most to them?” Treat the answer as information, not a handover. Propose a smaller step: “It would be useful to have a short summary that you can pass on, written for them rather than for you. May I send it, and could we agree that I check back with you on Thursday to see how it landed?” Redirect: “Would it make sense for the three of us to talk for ten minutes, so you do not have to carry the questions back and forth? I can prepare what each of you would want to know.”
What would the person who decides want to see before they would even look at this?
Avoid “Then please put me through to someone who can decide.” It dismisses the person you are talking to and tests their patience. They are likely to protect their time and yours by ending the call.
Educational conversation training. It is not legal or financial advice and it promises no results. Always follow your company’s rules, the terms of the product and a customer’s clear no.