“We handle that in-house.”
Also sounds like: We built our own · Our team does that · We use spreadsheets for that
What it usually means
They've solved it with people or homegrown tools. The question is what that costs them, and whether the people doing it would rather do something else.
Three ways to answer
1. Respect the build
“Nice, building it yourself takes real effort. How much of someone's week goes into keeping it running?”
Why it works: Puts a cost on "free" without criticising their choice.
2. Find the edge
“Makes sense. Where does it break down, for example when [common edge case]?”
Why it works: Homegrown systems usually have a known weak spot; the people who run them can name it.
3. Compare, don't replace
“Got it. Would it be useful to see how [type of company] handle [the problem], just to compare notes, maybe Thursday at 2?”
Why it works: Comparing notes is a low-commitment reason to meet.
Fill in the [brackets] with your own product, reason for calling and real customer results.
Questions worth asking
- Who maintains it?
- What would you do with that time back?
Avoid
- Telling them their system is worse. They built it.
Find out which answer works for your team
Clarity puts these answers on screen mid-call, tags every objection your reps hear, and shows which responses actually turn into meetings. Practice this one on an AI prospect first.
