The incumbent is fine. Nobody switches from fine. Find the thing that isn't fine without ever criticising a competitor.
An account executive at an employee-engagement platform. You have a first meeting with a People Director who already uses a well-established competitor.
Rachel Ives, People Director at Torrance Group, agreed to a short call. She told your SDR up front that they are two years into a contract with an incumbent and are 'reasonably happy'.
Establish whether there is a real gap worth pursuing, without knocking the incumbent — and either find a wedge or exit cleanly.
Rachel
People Director, Torrance Group
She opens guarded, and she is holding 4 things back — 1 near the surface, 1 that take real questioning, and 2 you will only get to if the conversation genuinely goes well. What they are, and what makes her say them, is the part you have to find. She is not scripted to volunteer any of it.
The objectives for this scenario, and the four axes every objection handling call is graded on.
Did they find out what the objection actually meant before answering it? 'Too expensive' can be no budget, wrong value, or a comparison to something else entirely, and the three have different answers.
Was the answer specific and honest — a real trade-off, a real number, a real limitation acknowledged — or a feature list and a reassurance?
Did they stay level under pushback without either caving or getting defensive? Discounting unprompted, over-explaining, and arguing all count against.
Did the objection get resolved or genuinely parked with agreement on what happens next, or did the call end with it still sitting there?
The buyer's concern was understood, answered, and the conversation moved past it.
Not resolved, but honestly acknowledged with an agreed way to settle it.
Answered but not believed. The buyer is being polite.
Discounted, over-promised, or agreed the objection was fatal. The most expensive way to end this call.
Displacing an incumbent by finding a business gap rather than a feature gap. 15 minutes, live voice, and a scored debrief you can replay. The first call is free.