The short answer
Don’t run the current supplier down, and don’t answer with proof or guarantees; trust isn’t the issue. Ask how well the current arrangement handles the specific problem you solve. If it handles it, say so and leave. If it doesn’t, the buyer will tell you.
The example exchanges on this page use a seller offering a monthly service to the owner of a small business. Swap in your own offer; the structure holds.
What they actually say
The words change; the objection doesn’t. All of these belong on this page:
- “We already use someone.”
- “My nephew does our website.”
- “We’re happy with who we’ve got.”
- “We’ve got a system for that.”
- “We do that in-house.”
- “We’re in a contract.”
What it usually means
An incumbent is a fact, not an objection. What matters is how the buyer feels about that fact.
Genuinely covered
The current arrangement does the job and they are satisfied. There may be no opportunity here, and that is fine.
How to tell: Specific, relaxed detail about how it works.
Loyalty
A friend, a relative, a long-standing supplier. Switching would feel like a betrayal, whatever the quality.
How to tell: Personal words: “my mate”, “my nephew”, “we’ve used them for years”.
Inertia
It is not great, but changing sounds like work.
How to tell: “It would be a hassle to change.”
Partly covered
The incumbent covers some of it. Something is falling through the gaps, but nobody has looked.
How to tell: Hedging words: “mostly”, “it’s fine”, “it does the job”.
A reflex brush-off
The quickest way to end any sales call.
How to tell: Said instantly, before they know what you do.
Prevent it earlier in the call
The best answer to this objection is usually given before it is raised.
Ask how things work today before you pitch
If you know how they currently handle it, you will know whether there is a gap before you describe anything.
Separate the problem from the provider
You are not asking them to replace anyone. You are asking whether a specific problem is solved.
Be specific about what you do
A vague offer overlaps with everything they already have. A specific one might not overlap at all.
The core move
Whatever style you sell in, the skeleton is the same.
Acknowledge and respect the incumbent
“Good, that’s important to have.” Never criticise them.
Ask about the specific problem
“Does their setup handle the calls you miss while you’re on a job?” A precise question gets a precise answer.
Let them find any gap
If there is one, they will describe it. If not, you have learned something.
Position honestly
Where it is true, you can work alongside the incumbent. Where it is not, say so.
If they are covered, leave well
“Sounds like you’re in good shape. If that ever changes, you know where I am.”
Ask again only if a gap exists
A re-close needs something new, such as a gap the buyer has just described.
How each style handles it
The selling styles in Coach agree on the skeleton and disagree on almost everything else: tone, pace, and how hard to push. Here is the same objection through four of them.
Direct Close
Direct Close keeps the incumbent. It separates what the incumbent does from what you offer, and asks a question about the part they might not cover.
Example
BuyerMy nephew does our website.
SellerGood, keep him. The site isn’t really what I’m calling about. Does his setup answer the calls you miss while you’re on jobs, and show you where each job came from?
BuyerNo, it’s just the website.
SellerThen that’s the bit I’d add. How many calls would you say go unanswered in a week?
Why it works. The buyer never has to choose between you and their nephew. The question is about a problem, not a person.
Where it breaks. If the incumbent does cover it, you have no pitch. Say so.
Calm Authority
Calm Authority tests before it touches anything. A current arrangement that genuinely serves the buyer is left alone. If there is a belief underneath (“changing is risky”), it asks what that belief protects.
Example
BuyerWe’ve used the same firm for years.
SellerThat’s worth a lot. What made you stick with them?
BuyerThey’re reliable. Though they’re slow to reply these days.
SellerHow much does the slow reply cost you, if anything?
Why it works. The buyer reflects on their own arrangement. Any doubt comes from them, not from you.
Where it breaks. If the answer is “nothing, they’re great”, the right move is to end respectfully.
Question-Led Discovery
Question-Led Discovery starts with how things work today, then asks questions that help the buyer notice any gap. It never tells them their supplier is failing.
Example
BuyerWe’ve got someone who handles all that.
SellerMakes sense. Walk me through what happens when a new enquiry comes in on a Saturday.
BuyerIt goes to the answerphone, and we pick it up Monday.
SellerAnd by Monday, how many of those are still interested?
Why it works. The buyer works out the gap themselves, through their own description.
Where it breaks. It takes time. On a short call, prioritise the single most likely gap.
Structured Objection Work
Structured Objection Work classifies incumbency correctly: it is about being covered, not about trust. So proof and guarantees are the wrong answer. It isolates and asks about coverage.
Example
BuyerWe already have a company for that.
SellerUnderstood. If they covered everything you need, would you still be taking this call?
BuyerProbably not, no. They’re fine for the basics.
SellerWhat’s outside the basics that you’d want covered?
Why it works. Classifying first stops the seller answering the wrong objection with the wrong tool.
Where it breaks. If the answer is “nothing”, accept it.
Mistakes to avoid
Criticising the incumbent
You are criticising the buyer’s judgement, and possibly their family.
Answering with proof or guarantees
The buyer did not say they doubt you. Reassurance answers a question nobody asked.
Asking them to fire someone
The bar for replacing a supplier is much higher than for adding one. Only ask for what they actually need.
Making claims about a competitor
You do not know what the incumbent does. Guessing is inventing.
Assuming they are unhappy
Many buyers are happy with their supplier. Ask, don’t presume.
When to stop
If the incumbent genuinely covers the problem, end well: you have lost nothing, and you have left a good impression for the day that changes. If the buyer is not willing to look at a gap they have described, respect that too.
Practise it with Selly
Reading about an objection and answering one out loud are different skills. Three short reps:
Rep 1: keep the incumbent
Choose Direct Close. When the buyer mentions their current supplier, say “keep them” and ask one question about the specific problem you solve.
Rep 2: walk me through it
Choose Question-Led Discovery. Ask the buyer to walk you through a specific situation, then ask one follow-up about what happens next.
Rep 3: leave it alone
Choose Calm Authority. If the arrangement genuinely works, practise ending the call respectfully without a pitch.
What Selly scores: Selly scores whether you answered the right objection (coverage, not trust), asked rather than asserted, and invented nothing about the buyer’s current supplier. A claim you cannot back up fails the call.
Questions
What if they are in a contract?
Ask when it ends and what they would want to be different by then. A specific future date is a real next step.
How do I compete with a family member?
Don’t. Separate the parts: the relative can keep doing what they do, and you talk only about the problem they do not cover.
Should I compare prices with their current supplier?
Only if they raise it. Price comparisons against someone you have not seen invite guesses.
What if they are genuinely happy?
Then there is no sale today. Say so, leave a good impression and move on.