Customers say “Why shouldn’t I go with them instead” for a reason. Here is what usually sits behind it, how to respond and what to avoid.
This is a fair request to differentiate, and also a trap: if you criticise the competitor, you lose credibility. The customer wants a reason that applies to them, not a list of features. Find out what matters most to them and answer honestly, including where the other option may be the better fit.
Typical in: Software and SaaS, Professional services
Pick the framework that fits the customer. The wording is an example direction, not a script: say it in your own words.
Ask what sits behind the objection, so you answer the real concern.
“Good question. What are you hoping for from this: price, service, specific features, or something else? So I can answer in terms of what matters to you and not a general pitch.”
Move from the objection to the result the customer said they want.
“I cannot speak for them. What I can say is where we are strong: [name one or two real strengths that relate to their priority]. If those matter to you, we are worth a closer look. If they do not, the other option may suit you better.”
Put the options side by side, including the cost of doing nothing.
“Let’s compare on the points that matter to you, using what they have actually put in writing. I will tell you where we are stronger and where we are not. Would you be willing to share what they proposed?”
After your response, ask:
What is the one thing that, if the other option did not deliver, would make you regret choosing it?
Avoid: They’re terrible, you really shouldn’t trust them.
Criticising a competitor you may know little about makes you look biased. The customer starts to wonder what you are hiding.
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 objectionThis is a fair request to differentiate, and also a trap: if you criticise the competitor, you lose credibility. The customer wants a reason that applies to them, not a list of features. Find out what matters most to them and answer honestly, including where the other option may be the better fit.
Clarify before you answer: “Good question. What are you hoping for from this: price, service, specific features, or something else? So I can answer in terms of what matters to you and not a general pitch.” Reframe around the outcome: “I cannot speak for them. What I can say is where we are strong: [name one or two real strengths that relate to their priority]. If those matter to you, we are worth a closer look. If they do not, the other option may suit you better.” Compare like with like: “Let’s compare on the points that matter to you, using what they have actually put in writing. I will tell you where we are stronger and where we are not. Would you be willing to share what they proposed?”
What is the one thing that, if the other option did not deliver, would make you regret choosing it?
Avoid “They’re terrible, you really shouldn’t trust them.” Criticising a competitor you may know little about makes you look biased. The customer starts to wonder what you are hiding.
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.