How to Handle:
“We use spreadsheets and they work fine”
Spreadsheets are the default tool for everything, and prospects have invested time in customizing them. The challenge is showing value without dismissing their work.
Why Prospects Say This
They've built complex spreadsheets that 'work' for them. They don't want to learn new software. They've invested significant time in their current setup. They may not see what they're missing.
Best Responses
The Scale Question
“Spreadsheets are great up to a point—we actually started there too. But let me ask: what happens when you're 2x your current size? Or when the person who built those spreadsheets leaves? Usually that's when things get tricky.”
Why It Works
Highlights the limitations of spreadsheets at scale.
Best For
Growing companies
The Time Calculation
“How much time does your team spend maintaining those spreadsheets? Updating them, fixing formulas, reconciling data? A lot of our customers were spending 10+ hours a week on spreadsheet maintenance before switching.”
Why It Works
Quantifies the hidden cost of spreadsheet maintenance.
Best For
Resource-constrained teams
The Error Risk
“Spreadsheets work until they don't—one wrong formula, one deleted row, and hours of work can be lost. Have you ever had a spreadsheet error cause a problem? What did that cost you?”
Why It Works
Introduces risk as a factor they may not be considering.
Best For
Risk-aware prospects
Do's and Don'ts
Do This
- Acknowledge spreadsheets are powerful and flexible
- Focus on limitations at scale or with collaboration
- Quantify time spent on spreadsheet maintenance
- Offer to show how you'd replace their specific use case
Don't Do This
- Dismiss or mock their spreadsheet solution
- Assume they don't know about alternatives
- Push a full replacement immediately
- Ignore the real value spreadsheets provide
Follow-up Questions to Ask
“How many people need to access or update those spreadsheets?”
“How much time does someone spend maintaining them weekly?”
“What happens if the person who built them leaves?”
“Have you ever had data loss or formula errors cause problems?”
Industry-Specific Variations
“Our financial models are in Excel and can't be moved”
“I get it—financial models in Excel are powerful. We don't replace that. We integrate with your spreadsheets and automate the data collection and reporting that feeds into them. Your models stay in Excel.”
“We track everything in shared spreadsheets”
“Shared spreadsheets are a good start. But how often do you deal with version conflicts, formula breaks, or 'who changed this?' We keep the familiar spreadsheet feel while eliminating those headaches.”
Pro Tips
- Never dismiss spreadsheets—they're powerful and prospects are attached to them
- Focus on the collaboration and maintenance overhead, not the analysis
- Offer to integrate with their spreadsheets rather than replace them entirely
- Calculate their 'spreadsheet salary'—time spent maintaining vs. value created
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