Produce a comparison with evidence, open questions and a clear decision criterion.
The situation
In this fictional brief, support requests arrive through personal messages and urgent issues lack a clear owner. The buyer wants a documented escalation path and visible ticket ownership. Your offer is a support and device-management service, but you must first establish whether its scope addresses the actual need.
A relevant delivery constraint is that business-critical systems cannot be changed during working hours. Treat that as a fact in the exercise; do not remove it to make the sale easier.
| Your counterpart | the owner of a 60-person business |
|---|---|
| Offer under discussion | a support and device-management service |
| Evidence available | an example ticket lifecycle with triage, handover and closure evidence |
| Terms to clarify | Define supported devices, service hours, exclusions and escalation contacts. |
How to approach competitor comparison
A useful question for this stage: “What would you need to verify before deciding that either option meets the requirement?” Ask it when the conversation creates a reason for it, rather than reciting every question in order.
- Build a like-for-like comparison. Mark unknowns as unknown. Ask the buyer to rank the criteria before discussing your strengths.
- Ground the discussion in the buyer’s work. Ask: “Which incident last interrupted work, and how was responsibility assigned?” Listen for a concrete example before making a claim.
- Use evidence relevant to the decision: an example ticket lifecycle with triage, handover and closure evidence. Explain what it demonstrates and what remains unverified.
- Produce a comparison with evidence, open questions and a clear decision criterion.
Example exchange
An illustrative exchange. Real conversations will take a different path.
SellerWhich differences between the two options matter most to your team?
BuyerOur concern is that support requests arrive through personal messages and urgent issues lack a clear owner. Also, business-critical systems cannot be changed during working hours.
SellerWhich incident last interrupted work, and how was responsibility assigned?
BuyerOur existing IT person already handles everything.
SellerWe can map the workload with them and identify gaps in cover; the conversation need not start with replacing anyone.
SellerWhat would you need to verify before deciding that either option meets the requirement?
An industry-specific concern
Buyer: “Our existing IT person already handles everything.”
Possible response: “We can map the workload with them and identify gaps in cover; the conversation need not start with replacing anyone.”
Why this response helps: it acknowledges the concern, brings the discussion back to a verifiable requirement and leaves room for a different decision. Adapt the wording to what the buyer actually said.
Run the practice
- Prepare for two minutes. One person takes the seller role and one plays the owner of a 60-person business. Read the offer and constraint separately from your preferred answer.
- Have a five-minute conversation focused on compare alternatives against the buyer’s requirements without attacking another provider. The buyer should answer consistently with the brief and ask for evidence when a claim is vague.
- Add this challenge: The buyer quotes a feature or price you cannot verify. State the limit of your knowledge and compare documented terms.
- Pause for feedback. Quote one useful question and one missed opportunity. Repeat the difficult exchange using a different response.
- Finish by writing the actual agreement. A sensible option, when it fits, is to review a limited device group and agree escalation responsibilities. A clear decision to pause is also a useful outcome.
What to avoid
| Common mistake | Claiming the competing provider cannot do something without current evidence. |
|---|---|
| A stronger direction | I do not know their current terms. Here is what our proposal includes and what we should verify in both offers. |
| Scope and claim boundary | Response time is not resolution time; do not imply they are interchangeable. |
| What to measure in real work | ticket age by priority, with priority definitions agreed first. Establish a baseline and definition before interpreting a change. |
Your working sheet
Write your own version below. Notes are saved on this browser when local storage is available. Use Download to keep a separate copy; avoid adding confidential information on a shared device.
Example: support requests arrive through personal messages and urgent issues lack a clear owner; business-critical systems cannot be changed during working hours.
Example: What would you need to verify before deciding that either option meets the requirement? Industry question: Which incident last interrupted work, and how was responsibility assigned?
Example: an example ticket lifecycle with triage, handover and closure evidence. Response time is not resolution time; do not imply they are interchangeable.
Example: Propose a clear next step, such as: review a limited device group and agree escalation responsibilities. Confirm the owner and date.
Review your work
Tick only what you can support with your answer or practice. This is a reflection checklist, not an automated assessment.
Questions about this resource
Who is this managed it services exercise for?
Founders, salespeople and account managers preparing for a conversation about a support and device-management service. Adapt the brief to your real offer and authority before using it at work.
Can I use the example as a script?
Use the questions as prompts. Listen and respond to the buyer’s actual meaning. The target is to compare alternatives against the buyer’s requirements without attacking another provider, not to deliver a memorised speech.
How should I assess the result?
Produce a comparison with evidence, open questions and a clear decision criterion. Use the three review questions below. The checklist is for reflection; it is not a validated prediction of sales performance.
Fictional training scenario. The dialogue illustrates response choices; it is not a customer testimonial or a record of a real sale. About these resources.