How to Handle:
“We're going to build this in-house”
The build vs. buy decision is a classic technology objection. Companies often underestimate the true cost and complexity of building internally, especially for non-core functionality.
Why Prospects Say This
Engineering teams often believe they can build a better, more customized solution. There may be NIH (Not Invented Here) syndrome, budget allocation preferences, or genuine concerns about vendor dependency. Sometimes it's a negotiating tactic to get a better price.
Best Responses
The True Cost Calculation
“Building in-house seems cheaper until you factor in engineering time, opportunity cost, ongoing maintenance, and iteration. Most companies find that build costs 5-10x what they initially estimate. Have you modeled the full cost including engineers' time over 3 years?”
Why It Works
Forces a realistic assessment of build costs. Engineering time is expensive and often underestimated.
Best For
Technical decision-makers who respond to data and analysis
The Core Competency Question
“Is this core to your competitive advantage? Your engineers are brilliant - but is this the highest-value use of their time? Building [category] isn't going to differentiate you in your market. What would they build instead if they weren't doing this?”
Why It Works
Reframes the decision around strategic resource allocation and opportunity cost.
Best For
Strategic buyers who think about competitive differentiation
The Maintenance Reality
“Building is actually the easy part. Maintaining, scaling, and evolving over years is where companies get burned. We have a team of 50 engineers who do nothing but make this better. Are you prepared to match that investment indefinitely?”
Why It Works
Shifts focus from initial build to ongoing commitment. Maintenance is often 80% of total cost.
Best For
When the prospect is focused only on initial development
The Time to Value
“How long will it take your team to build this? Six months? A year? Meanwhile, your competitors are solving this problem today with solutions like ours. What's the cost of that delay in your market?”
Why It Works
Introduces competitive urgency and time-to-value considerations.
Best For
Competitive markets where speed matters
The Hybrid Approach
“What if you didn't have to choose? Many of our customers use our API and infrastructure for the heavy lifting while their engineers customize for their specific needs. You get speed-to-market with flexibility.”
Why It Works
Offers a middle ground that addresses customization concerns while reducing build burden.
Best For
When customization is a genuine requirement
Do's and Don'ts
Do This
- Help them calculate the true total cost including opportunity cost
- Ask about their engineering team's current priorities and capacity
- Introduce the concept of build + maintain, not just build
- Position your solution as enabling their engineers to focus on differentiation
- Offer integration and customization options that bridge build vs. buy
Don't Do This
- Dismiss their engineering team's capabilities
- Get defensive about buy vs. build
- Ignore legitimate concerns about vendor dependency
- Assume this is just a negotiating tactic
- Underestimate the emotional attachment to building internally
Follow-up Questions to Ask
“What timeline are you working with for having this operational?”
“How many engineers would you dedicate to this, and for how long?”
“What's the opportunity cost of pulling engineers from your core product?”
“Who will maintain and evolve this system over the next 3-5 years?”
“Have you built similar systems before, and what was the actual cost versus estimate?”
Industry-Specific Variations
“Our team can build a better version customized for our needs”
“Custom sounds great, but consider this: we've solved edge cases from hundreds of customers that you haven't encountered yet. Your V1 might work, but V10 is where real value lives. We're on V10.”
“We want to own the IP and not depend on a vendor”
“I understand the concern about dependency. But consider: owning IP for non-core infrastructure is a liability, not an asset. It doesn't differentiate you in your market - it just consumes resources.”
“We have strict requirements that off-the-shelf can't meet”
“We serve banks and financial institutions with requirements as strict as yours. Our compliance and customization capabilities were built specifically for regulated industries. What specific requirements are you concerned about?”
Pro Tips
- Build a detailed TCO calculator comparing buy vs. build over 3-5 years
- Have engineering-to-engineering conversations when possible
- Emphasize the 'maintain' part of build-and-maintain - it's where estimates always miss
- Position your solution as leverage that multiplies their team's effectiveness
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