| name | cm-competitive-response-prep |
| description | Prepares structured competitive response materials when a competitive threat is detected on an account. Assembles value evidence, competitive differentiation, switching cost analysis, and a response framework for the CSM. Use when asked to prepare a competitive response, build a retention case against a competitor, create a win-back plan, or when bi-competitive-intel has flagged a competitive signal that the CSM is preparing to address. Also triggers for questions about competitive positioning, win-back preparation, retention defence strategy, or handling a customer evaluation. |
| license | MIT |
| metadata | {"author":"Stephen Rogan","version":"1.0.0","pillar":"commercial-motion","category":"commercial-ops"} |
Competitive Response Prep
Prepares account-specific competitive response materials when a threat is detected. Assembles value evidence, switching cost analysis, and response framework. Part of the Commercial Motion pillar.
This is a preparation and evidence assembly skill. It arms the CSM with data and structure. The response strategy, conversation execution, and relationship management are entirely human-led.
When to Run
- Triggered: When CSM acknowledges a competitive signal from bi-competitive-intel and requests preparation
- On-demand: When a CSM knows a competitive threat exists and needs materials
- Triggered: By lo-renewal-manager when a renewal is At Risk or Critical with a competitive signal present
Core Execution Logic
Step 1: Assess the Competitive Situation
From the bi-competitive-intel signal and CSM input, classify:
| Dimension | Options | Why It Matters |
|---|
| Competitor | Named competitor or unknown | Determines whether specific differentiation is possible |
| Scope | Full displacement vs. partial overlap | Full displacement requires a different response than a point solution competing on one feature |
| Evaluation stage | Early consideration, active evaluation, decision imminent | Urgency and approach differ dramatically by stage |
| Trigger | Product gap, pricing, service failure, proactive competitor outreach, or strategic priority shift | Addressing the root cause is more effective than defending against the competitor |
Step 2: Assemble Retention Evidence
Value already delivered (the strongest retention argument):
- ROI metrics from pa-value-reporter -- quantified outcomes the customer has achieved
- Usage depth from pa-adoption-tracker -- show how embedded the product is in their workflows
- Time invested in configuration, integrations, and training -- this is sunk cost the customer may not have quantified
Switching cost analysis (for internal CSM use -- not customer-facing):
| Cost Category | Estimation Method |
|---|
| Data migration | Complexity of moving historical data, configurations, and workflows to a new platform |
| Integration rebuilding | Number of active integrations * estimated rebuild time per integration |
| Team retraining | Number of trained users * estimated training hours for a new platform |
| Workflow reconstruction | Number of configured workflows * estimated rebuild time |
| Productivity loss | Estimated weeks of reduced productivity during transition |
| Opportunity cost | Projects that would be delayed while the team focuses on migration |
Total switching cost estimate: express in both time (weeks/months) and cost (estimated labour hours * loaded cost per hour) if possible.
Competitive differentiation:
- Feature comparison on the specific capabilities the customer cares about (not a generic feature matrix)
- Areas where your product is objectively stronger for this customer's use case
- Areas where the competitor may be stronger -- acknowledge these honestly. The CSM loses credibility if they dismiss legitimate competitor advantages
Step 3: Build Response Framework
The framework provides structure for the conversation, not a script.
By evaluation stage:
| Stage | Approach | Key Message |
|---|
| Early consideration | Proactive value reinforcement. Do not mention the competitor | "I want to make sure we are covering everything you need" |
| Active evaluation | Address the underlying need that triggered the evaluation | "Help me understand what prompted this. I want to address the root cause" |
| Decision imminent | Direct engagement. May require executive involvement and commercial flexibility | "I would like the chance to address [root cause] before you make a final decision" |
By trigger:
| Trigger | Response Focus |
|---|
| Product gap | Show the roadmap if applicable. Offer workaround. Be honest if the gap is real and not planned |
| Pricing | Lead with value, then discuss pricing. Compete on ROI, not on sticker price |
| Service failure | Acknowledge, apologise, show the recovery plan. The competitor did not win -- you lost. Win back by being better |
| Proactive competitor outreach | The customer was not looking. Reinforce the relationship. Ensure value is visible. Make the competitor's pitch irrelevant |
| Strategic priority shift | Reposition your product's value in the context of the new priorities. If the product genuinely no longer fits, be honest |
Step 4: Generate Materials
{
"account_id": "string",
"competitive_situation": {
"competitor": "Competitor X",
"scope": "full_displacement",
"evaluation_stage": "active_evaluation",
"trigger": "product_gap",
"trigger_detail": "Customer needs custom reporting that current tier does not support"
},
"retention_evidence": {
"value_delivered": {
"headline": "340 hours saved in Q1, 2847 automated workflows",
"roi_estimate": "3.2x return on annual investment"
},
"switching_cost": {
"integrations_at_risk": 3,
"trained_users": 47
Handoff to Human
| Decision Point | Context Provided | What the Human Decides |
|---|
| Response strategy | Situation assessment, evidence, framework | How to approach the conversation -- direct vs. indirect, timing, channel |
| Competitive acknowledgement | Differentiation analysis with honest gaps | Whether and how to acknowledge the competitor. Some CSMs prefer to never name the competitor; others address it head-on. Depends on the relationship |
| Executive involvement | Escalation recommendation, account ARR, renewal timeline | Whether to bring in leadership from their side and yours |
| Commercial concessions | Authority parameters, switching cost context | What to offer, when to offer it, and what to require in return |
| Product escalation | Product gap analysis, competitive urgency | Whether to escalate to the product team for roadmap acceleration or workaround development |
Confidence and Limitations
- High confidence for evidence assembly -- value data, switching cost analysis, and feature comparison are factual
- Medium confidence for evaluation stage assessment -- the CSM's read on how far the evaluation has progressed is more reliable than the agent's inference from data signals
- Medium confidence for differentiation analysis -- feature comparisons are objective, but the relevance of each differentiator to this customer requires human judgment
- Low confidence for response strategy -- how to handle a competitive threat depends entirely on relationship dynamics, evaluation stage, and customer politics that the agent cannot assess
- Cannot determine whether the competitor has made a specific commercial offer
- Cannot assess the customer's internal decision-making timeline with precision
- Switching cost estimates are approximations. Actual migration cost depends on factors specific to the customer's implementation (data volume, integration complexity, internal technical resources)
Dependencies
Required:
- bi-competitive-intel (competitive signal that triggers the preparation)
- pa-value-reporter (value evidence for the retention case)
- CRM API (contract data, account context)
Strongly recommended:
- pa-adoption-tracker (adoption depth for switching cost context)
- bi-account-brief (full account context)
- ra-stakeholder-mapper (who is involved in the evaluation decision)
References
references/competitive-response-frameworks.md -- Response templates by evaluation stage, differentiation analysis structure, and escalation decision criteria
