Resources/Conversation examples
Comparison shopping mentioned
The customer says they are talking to other companies or waiting on other quotes, which puts your appointment in a race for the same week.
I'm talking to two other agencies this week, so I want to see what everyone comes back with.
What to do when you spot it
Ask what they are comparing and what matters most to them, then set a time to go through your option side by side.
Practice a response
Synthetic practice exampleReply to the example above out loud, then compare your words with this sample.
"That makes sense, and it helps me. When you compare, what matters most to you: the price, what's included or the service afterward? Let's put ours side by side on Thursday at 11."
Coaching and context
Taking the next step
Do not match a number you have not seen. Ask what is being compared: the same scope, the same term, the same start date, and what is included or left out. Acknowledge the other companies without running them down, then compete on the thing you control, which is getting the customer into a set time with the comparison and the numbers ready.
Why it matters
A customer who volunteers that they are comparing is telling you two things at once: the intent is real, and the deadline belongs to somebody else. This is the moment where calls are won or given away, because an unprepared rep either gets defensive or starts discounting into the dark to stay in the running. Either way the team trades margin for nothing, since nobody has confirmed what the other options even include.
How to coach it
Play the moment the other company comes up and stop the recording before the rep answers. Ask the rep what they would say now. Most will reach for price, which is the lesson. Rehearse two questions that surface what the other options actually contain, followed by the ask for a time.
Practice the conversation
The manager plays the customer. The rep responds, then you review it together.
The customer says
"I'm talking to two other agencies this week, so I want to see what everyone comes back with."
Your goal
Find out what they are comparing and what matters most before you say a word about price, then compete on the appointment.
Feedback after the call
- You reached for a discount before you asked what they were comparing.
- You asked what matters most to them, which is where most of these are decided.
- You talked down the other companies instead of leaving them alone.
- You never asked them to bring the other quotes to the meeting.
Questions and answers
Should a rep match a competing offer on the phone?
Not blind. Find out what the other offer includes first, because quotes that look alike often are not, and a match given over the phone removes the reason to meet.
Is this signal bad news?
No. It usually marks a serious buyer with a short timeline. What matters is what the rep did in the next thirty seconds.
How should a manager review these calls?
Stop each recording where the other company comes up and ask the rep what they would say, then play what they did say. It shows how the moment was handled, not whether the customer bought anywhere.