Agent assist for sales teams facing competitive objections on calls

Sales conversations often reach critical junctures where objections arise, particularly when customers express concerns about pricing or competitive offerings. These moments can determine whether a deal is closed or lost, making it essential for sales teams to handle objections effectively. However, traditional training often falls short in preparing agents for the emotional pressure of these interactions. This is where AI-powered agent assist technology comes into play, providing real-time support to help sales teams navigate competitive objections with confidence and skill.

The Critical Moment

What Makes Conversations Difficult:

Sales calls can start positively, but then a customer might say:

  • "That's way too expensive."
  • "Your competitor offers this for less."
  • "I want to speak to your manager."

In these moments, agents often experience:

  • Panic: "I'm losing this deal."
  • Defense: "Our price is justified because…"
  • Avoidance: "Let me transfer you…"

These reactions can escalate customer frustration and lead to lost sales. The stakes are high; how agents respond in these critical moments can significantly impact the outcome of the conversation.

Why It Matters:

  • The way objections are handled can lead to either a sale or a lost opportunity.
  • Customers gauge whether agents understand their concerns or are merely defending their company's position.
  • Agents face high stress, which can lead to burnout if not managed properly.

The Skills Gap

What Traditional Training Teaches:

  • Product knowledge: "Here's why our product is worth the price."
  • Objection handling scripts: "I understand price is a concern. Let me share our value…"
  • Policy enforcement: "Our policy states…"

What Traditional Training Doesn't Teach:

  • Emotional regulation under pressure.
  • Staying curious instead of defensive.
  • Reading customer intent behind objections.
  • De-escalating before jumping to scripted responses.

As a result, agents may know what to say but struggle to execute under pressure, leading to increased customer frustration and lost deals.

What AI Roleplay Changes

Traditional Practice:

  • Role-play with managers, which is often awkward and not realistic.
  • Listening to recorded calls, which is passive and lacks practice.
  • Shadowing experienced agents, which is observational rather than participatory.

AI Roleplay:

  • Allows agents to practice challenging moments repeatedly, experiencing realistic emotional pressure.
  • Provides the opportunity to try different approaches and see what works.
  • Builds instinct for de-escalation, allowing agents to remain calm, curious, and customer-focused.

The goal is for agents to feel prepared for difficult moments in real calls, responding with confidence rather than defensiveness.

Objection Handling

Price Objections:

When a customer says, "That's too expensive," the following approaches can be effective:

What Doesn't Work:

  • Defending: "Actually, compared to the value you're getting…"
  • Discounting immediately: "Let me see if I can get you a discount…"
  • Ignoring: "Let me tell you about our features…"

What Works: Diagnose Before Solving

  1. Acknowledge:

    • Agent: "I hear you – price is a significant factor in your decision. Tell me more about what's making you hesitate?"

  2. Diagnose the Real Objection:

    • "Too expensive" could mean:
      • "I don't have budget."
      • "I don't see the value."
      • "Competitor is cheaper."

  3. Respond to the Specific Concern:

    • If affordability:
      • Agent: "Help me understand your budget parameters. Is it that this isn't a priority right now, or is it the total amount versus what you expected?"
    • If value:
      • Agent: "It sounds like you're not seeing how this solves your problem. What were you hoping this would do for you?"

Practice Scenario:

  • AI Customer: "Your price is $10,000 and your competitor quoted me $7,000. Why should I pay $3,000 more?"
  • Better Response:
    • Agent: "That's a big price difference – $3,000 matters. Help me understand what's included in their $7,000 quote so I can make sure we're comparing the same scope."

By practicing these scenarios with AI roleplay, agents can refine their responses and develop the skills needed to handle objections effectively.

AI Practice & Performance

Why Practice Matters More Than Product Knowledge:
Most agents know what to say but struggle to execute under pressure. The solution lies in practicing the moment until execution becomes instinct.

AI Roleplay Scenarios for Difficult Conversations:

  1. Price Objection (Value vs. Cost)

    • Setup: Customer interested in product but price is 2x their expected budget.
    • Agent Goal: Diagnose objection type, explore value perception, avoid premature discounting.

  2. Competitive Comparison (Feature Gap)

    • Setup: Customer researched competitor who has a specific feature you don't have.
    • Agent Goal: Respect their research, understand feature importance, differentiate on other value.

  3. Angry Customer (Service Failure)

    • Setup: Product broke, customer called three times, still not fixed, demanding refund.
    • Agent Goal: Validate emotion, understand issue, commit to resolution, de-escalate.

Real-Time Coaching During Practice:
AI prompts can guide agents on how to improve their responses, helping them to stay calm and focused during difficult conversations.

By leveraging AI-powered agent assist technology, sales teams can effectively navigate competitive objections, turning potential roadblocks into opportunities for connection and resolution. This approach not only enhances agent performance but also improves customer satisfaction, ultimately driving better business outcomes.