How Do You Combat The I Have A Guy Already!!!!!!Scenario??????

How many times have you heard that from a new prospect???Well I use this technique.I immediately come back with, I can appreciate that,(you know walking in that they have a guy already)I use a little salesmen ship, I can appreciate that but i was passing by and just wanted you to know that we have a special order for and are in need of
depending on his type of business,as a example a car care center,alternators using this as a lost leader we are paying $5.00 each or any item that comes to your mind.I have had many shops say, you mean you pay for the scrap?????That's music to my ears,yes we pay for every thing.There are some that will say thanks but no thanks,and there are some that say let me see what i have,,, CA,CHING new customer. Just wanted to share that with you Guys and Gal's, I would like to hear how you combat,
SORRY I HAVE A GUY A'READY.

I wouldn't. There is such a small population where I live that the original scrapper would probably be knocking on my door asking why I took his buisiness that he uses to feed his family. I will stick to the niche I have created for myself and keep asking some of the other buisinesses if there scrap has an outlet. I understand in largley populated areas it's a lot more competitive but up here we look out for one another. just my .02 probably worth about .01

are you completely satisfied with your current service and schedule ?

ok great. very glad to see your intrest in recycling. Heres my card, if for any reasion you need MY services, dont hesitate,just call.

Oh by the way do you mind if I check back with you every month or so ?

If its for ewaste, try telling them what your prices are just in case yours are better. I know I can beat my local competition's prices if I want to.

When I was in the building business I usually "had a guy" that I used all the time for certain things. I know he wasnt the cheapest or the best, but I liked him and always got the same good result. However, things change and eventually the "norm" that I was used to changed and I needed a new "guy". When that time came I went with the one guy that persistently came around looking to do the job. He didnt badger me, but I did get to know him because I remembered his face coming by once every couple months.

Another thing to consider is that with a lot of people money really talks. I find that a lot of local computer shops have had "a guy" that was taking their scrap for years and was like clockwork. Come to find out most of the time they were just giving it to him (DOH!). I put a few $ signs in front of them and all of a sudden they realize what they had lost. I suggest to be persistent and show them what they could gain by giving you their business. If you offer nothing different they have no reason to change. If you can offer better services and/or prices and they still dont change, dont sweat it. Some people just dont deal well with change.

Even in this rural area, there are three rules:
1. There is no loyalty in this business.
2. Money talks.
3. More money talks louder.

Like Shendog said, persistence pays off. One auto body shop, I stopped every month for two years to talk to the owner. But when "his guy" blew the engine in his truck, I was got the shop after that. Then after a couple years, I lost every other shop on all my routes to an out-of-state core buyer. Really stunk at the time, but worked out ok.

I would have to agree with Shen and Mick you put a bug in their ear and let it buzz every once in a while and hope the pick up on it. It worked for me with my local yard. It took me about a year to start getting their e-waste. I started off buying thier CD/DVD drives then hard drives and now I buy their boards. Persistence does pay off! every time I went in there I was like "are you sure you don't want to sell to me I will match thier price and sell back the shred,motors,aluminium" so they can double dip. Now they are happy and I am too VERY HAPPY!!.

I have a thrift store that I pick up all thiere scrap. When I first started picking up there it was only electronics, they had someone else picking up the steel and what not. Well that persons truck broke down one day so the owner of the store ask me to take all thiere stuff until thiere regular person could start picking it up again. Well that was about a year ago and I'm still getting everything.