How to respond to “We do it in-house”: 3 useful answers
“We do it in-house.”
“We do it in-house” means the problem is real and someone spends time on it. Three answers to surface what that really costs, without offending anyone.
Practice this objectionWhy buyers say it
When a prospect says they do it in-house, they're confirming two things: the need exists, and today they cover it with people's time instead of a tool. That's not a rejection, it's a description of the status quo. The delicate part is that someone does that work, maybe the owner, maybe a trusted employee, and criticizing the process means criticizing a person. If you built the product, you probably know how much more efficient your way is and it's hard to hold back. Ask instead: who does it, how long it takes, what happens when that person is on vacation, how often something slips. The cost of in-house comes out on its own.
What it often means
- A specific person does that work, and it costs more than it looks
- It works as long as that person is around
- Nobody has ever added up the hours
Three answers that work
Great, so you know the work well. Who handles it, and how long does it take them each week? I ask because it's often something that gets done “when there's time,” and somebody pays for that time.
Why it works: You don't question the method, you ask who and how long. In answering, the buyer puts a number on the cost of in-house themselves. Often it's the first time they've thought about it.
Makes sense, a lot of businesses start that way. One question: what happens when the person who handles it is out sick or on vacation? Our tool isn't better than a good person. It's just there when the person isn't.
Why it works: It shifts the topic from quality to continuity. You're not saying “you do it badly,” you're saying “it depends on one person.” That's a risk an owner recognizes immediately, without feeling attacked.
Got it. Then I won't suggest you stop doing it yourselves. I'll suggest a comparison: one week, your report the way you always do it and ours generated automatically, side by side. If yours is as good or better, we stop there and you've confirmed you're all set.
Why it works: A small, verifiable step that asks for no change. Side by side is the most honest test possible, and it leaves the verdict with the buyer.
Avoid this one
Right, but by hand it's slow and you make mistakes. With us it's all automated.
Why not: It tells the buyer their way is slow and wrong, which means whoever does it does it badly. They'll defend their team instead of hearing your benefits. And “all automated” is a vague promise that convinces nobody who's done the work for years.
Example dialogue
BuyerWe already do reports in-house, every Monday. We don't need it.
YouGreat, so Monday morning you've got the numbers. Who puts them together?
BuyerMe, usually. A couple of hours, exporting and cleaning up the spreadsheet.
YouAnd when you're out?
BuyerIt gets skipped. Or I do it at night from home.
YouThat's the part I'd like to take off your plate. One week side by side: your spreadsheet as always, and our report arriving on its own. If yours is better, you're good as you are.
Practice this objection
A simulated buyer says it to you out loud (or in writing), you answer, and you get a score plus the model answer. Free, no account, 2 minutes.
FAQ
How do I show what in-house really costs without offending anyone?
By asking, not stating. Who does it, how long it takes, what happens when they're out, how many times something got missed. The buyer supplies the answers, and they're the buyer's numbers. You're not saying they do it badly. You're adding up, together, what a person's time costs.
What if they say they have the time and it costs them nothing?
Ask what else that person would do with the time. If the answer is “nothing in particular,” maybe they really aren't your customer today, and that's fine. If it's “follow up with more clients” or “finish earlier,” the cost is clear, even if it never shows up on an invoice.
Is a side-by-side trial worth proposing?
Yes, if your product sets up quickly and the comparison is honest. It's the most credible offer you can make, because it asks for no change and leaves judgment to the buyer. Agree beforehand on what you'll look at: time spent, errors, completeness. That way the verdict isn't an opinion.