“I’m already working with another dealer.” It sounds final. Most BDC reps treat it as final. It almost never is.
A customer who tells you they’re working with another dealer is telling you they’re actively in the market. They haven’t bought yet. Something is still unresolved — price, availability, financing, trust — or they wouldn’t still be answering your call. The objection is an opening, not a door closing.
Why Most BDC Reps Get This Wrong
The untrained response is to apologize and back off: “Oh, no problem — let us know if you need anything.” That’s not professionalism. That’s giving up. The customer gets nothing from that interaction and the dealership gets nothing from that call.
The slightly better but still wrong response is to immediately pitch against the competitor: “Well, let me tell you why we’re better.” That’s defensive, and it puts the rep in an adversarial position before they know anything about the customer’s situation.
The Right Response: Curiosity Before Competition
The professional response treats the objection as information and responds with genuine curiosity: “That’s great — sounds like you’re getting close to a decision. What are you looking at?” That question does two things: it signals that the rep isn’t threatened, and it opens a conversation about where the customer actually is in the process.
From that answer, the rep can identify whether there’s a gap — a vehicle the other dealer doesn’t have in stock, a financing option that hasn’t been explored, a concern the customer hasn’t raised yet. Those gaps are where the deal comes back to your dealership.
The Professional Follow-Up
If the customer is genuinely committed to the other dealer, the right close is: “That’s completely fine — I hope it goes great for you. If anything changes or you have any questions, I’d love to be a resource.” Warm, no pressure, professional. That customer may not buy from you today — but they may refer someone who does, or come back when the other deal falls through.
Deals fall through. The BDC rep who handled the “working with another dealer” call with class is the one that customer calls first when they do.
What PTS Trains on This Objection
Proactive Training Solutions includes competitor objection handling in every BDC training program. Reps learn to stay in the conversation professionally, identify gaps, and close in a way that keeps the relationship intact regardless of outcome.
Talk to PTS about training your BDC to handle every objection with confidence.
