“We're cutting software spend”
CFO · Work management and collaboration
A CFO who is cutting software spend, starting with collaboration tools, sees them as nice to have, and easy to remove. Don't argue against the cuts. Ask what happens when it goes: which teams would be hit hardest, and what they'd go back to.
Practise it before the real call
Free to start. No credit card.
What the buyer says
We're cutting software spend this year, and collaboration tools are the first to go.
How to handle it
Listen
Hear "first to go". The judgement is that collaboration tools are the easiest to cut, not that they're useless.
Acknowledge
Agree that cutting software spend makes sense, and that every tool should earn its place.
Explore
Ask which teams would be hit hardest if the tools went, what those teams would go back to, and what that would cost in time, missed deadlines or client work. Ask whether there are overlapping tools that could be consolidated instead.
Respond
If your product could replace several tools, position it as part of the cost cut. If not, help them put a cost on what would be lost, and be honest about where it isn't worth keeping.
Say this
“That makes sense. Every tool should earn its place.”
Say this
“Which teams would be hit hardest if it went?”
Say this
“What would they go back to, and what would that cost?”
Variations
- Finance Director: “We're reviewing every subscription. Collaboration tools are nice-to-have.”
- Procurement Manager: “We have to cut software spend this year. Yours is on the list.”
Questions people ask
How do you respond when a CFO is cutting collaboration software?
Agree that every tool should earn its place. Ask which teams would be hit hardest and what they'd go back to, then either position your product as consolidating several tools or help put a cost on what would be lost.
How do you protect a software renewal during cost cutting?
Show which teams depend on it and what they'd lose, look for overlapping tools it could replace, and be ready to right-size licences rather than lose the whole account.
More objections in Work management and collaboration
- “We have to work in our clients' tools”
- “Our productivity suite already includes it”
- “We went back to spreadsheets”
- “Every team uses a different tool”
Practise it before the real call
Free to start. No credit card.