"This is more than we planned to spend."
Compared to what? The current system's cost, another proposal, or the budget you set?
Do not discount before knowing the anchor. Do not cut services to the point the project fails.
The objections, discovery questions and competitor answers that come up when you sell supply chain. Read them free. Or load them into Ghost and have the right one on your screen the moment the buyer says it.
What Ghost shows on your screen during a supply chain call. The buyer never sees it.
The objections supply chain buyers raise most, what to say in the next ten seconds, and what not to promise.
"This is more than we planned to spend."
Compared to what? The current system's cost, another proposal, or the budget you set?
Do not discount before knowing the anchor. Do not cut services to the point the project fails.
"Switching systems would disrupt operations."
What is the one thing that cannot break during a cutover?
Do not say cutover is low risk. Do not promise zero downtime.
"We built our own planning tools in house."
What made you build them, and what happens if the person who maintains them leaves?
Do not belittle their models or team.
"We can't take this on until after peak."
Makes sense. If we plan now, could you be ready to start the day peak ends?
Do not push for activity during their blackout period.
"We need to know our data and partner data are secure."
What does your security team need to see, and does any of your partner data have special terms?
Do not claim certifications or controls you have not confirmed.
"We already have SAP for this."
That makes sense. Are you using SAP for planning and execution today, or mostly as the system of record?
Do not argue against their ERP. Do not claim to replace it.
Every one of these is a deal that slips a quarter if you fumble it. Ghost puts the answer on your screen while the buyer is still talking.
Give them credit, then ask whether that vendor's strength matters to this buyer.
SAP is the system of record for a lot of large manufacturers. Is the draw keeping planning on the same platform as your ERP?
Oracle offers a full cloud suite from ERP to supply chain. How much do you value having one vendor across finance and operations?
Blue Yonder has deep roots in retail and distribution. Is your need more in planning, execution, or both?
Kinaxis is known for fast, concurrent planning. How often do you need to replan when something changes?
Manhattan is a well-known name in warehouse and distribution. How complex are your fulfillment operations?
e2open is known for connecting large networks of partners. How many suppliers, carriers and channel partners do you need to work with?
o9 is often picked for integrated planning on one model. Is joining up demand, supply and finance planning your top goal?
Coupa is known for spend management, and it also does supply chain design. Is your project led by procurement or by supply chain?
Descartes covers a lot of logistics networks and customs. How much of your pain is in transportation and trade compliance?
Infor builds suites for specific industries. Is industry fit the main reason it is on your list?
project44 is a big name in shipment visibility. Is real-time tracking the main gap you need to fill?
Ask these on the first call. Then dig into the pain when they say it out loud.
Supply chain software helps a company decide what to make or buy, where to keep it, and how to move it to customers. The category spans planning (demand, supply, inventory, sales and operations planning), execution (warehouse management, transportation management, yard and labor), and the layer that connects them (visibility, supplier collaboration, network design).
The most common are: "This is more than we planned to spend", "Switching systems would disrupt operations", "We built our own planning tools in house", "We can't take this on until after peak", "We need to know our data and partner data are secure" and "We already have SAP for this". Each one above has a line to say back and what to avoid.
Start with: Walk me through last month's planning cycle. What tools did your planners open, and where did the numbers end up? If you had to pick one: is the pain in planning, in the warehouse, or on the road? Think of the last time something went wrong in the chain. What did it cost in lost sales, expedites or customer trust? Is there a date you are working toward, like a new site opening, an ERP cutover, or before next peak?
Buyers most often compare SAP, Oracle, Blue Yonder, Kinaxis, Manhattan Associates, e2open, o9 Solutions, Coupa, Descartes, Infor and project44.
Economic buyer: the Chief Supply Chain Officer or VP of Supply Chain, often with the CFO for large programs. Logistics projects may sit with the VP of Logistics or Distribution.
Pick the supply chain market pack in Ghost's setup and every card on this page loads into Ghost. When a buyer raises one of these objections or names one of these competitors on a live call, Ghost shows you what to say on your screen, hidden from screen shares and recordings.
Free to start. Pick supply chain in setup and Ghost loads every card on this page.