Understanding the Sales Team and Battling Incumbency
Incumbent suppliers know the account, the stakeholders, and exactly how to use those relationships to their advantage. Learn how supplier sales teams protect their position, build internal influence, and create resistance to change—and what buyers can do to challenge incumbency and negotiate from a stronger position.
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Incumbent suppliers have more than familiarity on their side. They know the account, the stakeholders, the decision-making process, and how to use those relationships to protect their position. Understanding how supplier sales teams operate is critical to challenging that advantage.
In this session, we'll examine how sales teams build and defend incumbency, the tactics they use to influence stakeholders and maintain control of the deal, and where buyers can strengthen their position before entering the negotiation.
In this session, we will cover
- How supplier sales teams build relationships, influence stakeholders, and protect incumbent positions.
- Common sales tactics that make it harder for buyers to introduce competition or challenge the status quo.
- Practical negotiation strategies to counter incumbency, regain control of the deal, and strengthen the buyer's position.
Meet Your Instructor
20+ years' experience in supplier-side negotiation.
Andrew brings deep insight into how suppliers price, sell, and negotiate. As Lead Trainer, he curates Green Cabbage's training sessions and combines his expertise with the collective experience of Green Cabbage executives.
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