How to Handle:
“We're already using [competitor]”
One of the most common objections in B2B sales. The prospect is already invested in a competing solution, which means you need to demonstrate enough differentiated value to justify the switching costs and effort.
Why Prospects Say This
The prospect has already made a buying decision and may be satisfied with their current vendor. They might genuinely be happy, or they could be experiencing hidden frustrations they haven't fully acknowledged. This objection is often a reflexive response to avoid another sales conversation. Understanding their current experience is key to finding an opening.
Best Responses
The Curiosity Approach
“That's great - it means you already see the value in solving this problem. I'm curious though, if you could wave a magic wand and change one thing about how [competitor] works for your team, what would it be?”
Why It Works
This reframes the objection as validation while uncovering pain points. Even satisfied customers have frustrations, and this question opens the door to discovering them without being confrontational.
Best For
Early-stage conversations when you need to understand their current situation better
The Benchmark Response
“Perfect, then you have a great baseline for comparison. Many of our best customers came from [competitor]. What they found was [specific differentiator]. Would it be worth 15 minutes to see if we could help you achieve better results in [key metric]?”
Why It Works
Positions the conversation as a low-risk comparison rather than a complete switch. Uses social proof from competitive wins to build credibility.
Best For
When you have strong competitive positioning and specific win stories
The Future-Focused Pivot
“Understood. When did you last evaluate whether your current solution still fits your evolving needs? Most companies find that what worked two years ago doesn't always scale with where they're headed.”
Why It Works
Plants a seed of doubt about whether their current solution is future-proof. Companies grow and change, and their tools often don't keep pace.
Best For
Fast-growing companies or those undergoing transformation
The Contract Question
“I appreciate that. Out of curiosity, when does your current agreement come up for renewal? I'd love to at least be a consideration when you're evaluating options.”
Why It Works
Acknowledges the current commitment while planting seeds for future opportunity. Gets you on their radar before renewal decisions.
Best For
When you sense they're genuinely locked in and satisfied for now
Do's and Don'ts
Do This
- Acknowledge their existing investment without being dismissive
- Ask open-ended questions to uncover hidden frustrations
- Focus on outcomes and results rather than features
- Share specific success stories from customers who switched
- Position yourself as a future option even if they're not ready now
Don't Do This
- Trash talk the competitor - it makes you look desperate
- Assume they're unhappy just because they're talking to you
- Try to force an immediate switch conversation
- Ignore the switching costs and effort involved
- Give up after the first objection - dig deeper
Follow-up Questions to Ask
“How long have you been using them, and how has your experience evolved over time?”
“What made you choose them initially, and does that still hold true today?”
“If your team could improve one aspect of their experience with that tool, what would it be?”
“How does [competitor] handle [known weakness area]?”
“When's the last time you benchmarked your results against what else is available?”
Industry-Specific Variations
“We're locked into Salesforce for another 18 months”
“That's actually perfect timing. Most companies start their evaluation 6-9 months before renewal. Would it make sense to do a comparison now so you have data when decision time comes?”
“We've been with our current vendor for 10 years - they know our compliance needs”
“That deep relationship is valuable. I'm curious though - in 10 years, how much has the regulatory landscape changed? We've helped firms like [reference] modernize while actually strengthening their compliance posture.”
“Our ERP is integrated with [competitor] and switching would be a nightmare”
“Integration complexity is real. That's exactly why we built native connectors for [ERP systems]. Companies like [reference] completed migration in under 8 weeks with zero production downtime.”
Pro Tips
- Research the competitor thoroughly before the call - know their weaknesses and your advantages
- Have 2-3 specific customer stories ready from companies that switched from that exact competitor
- Create a competitive battlecard with specific talk tracks for each major competitor
- The goal isn't to close today - it's to plant seeds and become a consideration for their next evaluation
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