“Our CRM vendor will build it next year”

Head of Business Applications · CRM and sales software

When a Head of Business Applications says their CRM vendor will build this next year, they'd rather wait than add another system, and that's a sensible default. Don't attack the vendor's roadmap. Price the wait: ask what the gap costs them each quarter until then, and how firm that roadmap really is.

What the buyer says

Our CRM vendor says they're building this into the platform next year. We'll wait.

How to handle it

Listen

Hear "we'll wait". The preference is fewer systems and one supplier. They haven't said the need isn't real.

Acknowledge

Agree that getting a capability from the platform you already run is usually simpler, if it arrives when it's needed.

Explore

Ask what the gap costs them today and each quarter they wait: manual work, lost deals, slower forecasting. Ask what the vendor has actually committed to, by when, and whether the first version is likely to do what they need.

Respond

If waiting costs more than they thought, say so in their terms. Position your product as solving the problem now, and be honest about how it would sit alongside the vendor's feature if that arrives.

Say this
“That makes sense. One platform is simpler, if it gets there in time.”

Say this
“What does the gap cost you each quarter until then?”

Say this
“What has the vendor actually committed to, and by when?”

Variations

CIO: “Our platform vendor has it on their roadmap. We'll stick with them.”
Head of Revenue Operations: “I'd rather wait for the native feature than add another integration.”

Questions people ask

How do you respond when a buyer says their CRM vendor will build the same feature?

Agree that a native feature is simpler if it arrives in time. Ask what the gap costs each quarter until then and what the vendor has actually committed to, then position your product as solving the problem now, and explain how it would sit alongside the vendor's feature.

How do you sell against a platform vendor's roadmap?

Don't dispute the roadmap. Help the buyer put a cost on waiting, and test how firm the commitment is. Many buyers decide that solving the problem now is worth it, especially if the first native version is likely to be basic.