It’s highly unlikely that the hotel will dismantle its reticulated (piped) gas system to install yours because you said so. In fact, even if it’s not reticulated but just LPG (gas) cylinders in, say, a school, they won’t exchange brands (to yours) on a whim. Even when it’s evident they should, don’t assume the decision of change of suppliers will drive itself—you must guide, influence, and lead the process. If you don’t, you risk losing the sale altogether.
Why the change of suppliers is never immediate
The principles around change of suppliers are not confined to energy or utilities. B2B sales tend to be investment heavy. A change of suppliers is not like swapping one soda for another at the supermarket. It comes with implications that ripple across departments and processes. For example, a company running its operations on an ERP system can’t just abandon it because a better one came along. Data migration, staff retraining, and risk of downtime, make transitions long and painful.
Or banking—corporates won’t shut down accounts and credit lines overnight simply because a rival bank has (your) shinier apps. Payroll, supplier payments, and loan facilities have to be carefully untangled. They need a careful supplier change management procedure that covers operational, legal, and emotional factors. If you aren’t present to help manage those moving parts, someone else will be.
Why smart salespeople don’t step aside during B2B transitions
Back to LPG. In the energy space, investments involve long-term contracts, safety considerations, compliance issues, and deep operational dependencies. So, divorces in B2B sales can be messy and noisy and are best handled with patience and care.
Yet, here lies the trap most salespeople fall into: you identify the pain points, you pitch your superior solution, you nod along when the prospect agrees it’s time to switch providers, and then you step aside—waiting for the customer to call you once the “divorce” is final. That’s dangerous. In fact, it’s the surest way to find yourself replaced by another suitor when you return to “pick things up,” where you left of.
“But I thought we agreed” you lament. If they are polite enough, they’ll say, “Unfortunately things happened.” More likely though, you’ll be told, “You disappeared.”
Planting your spear during supplier transitions
Therefore, even after it’s evident they need to switch to your LPG brand, with all the bells and whistles it comes with-better pricing, reliable delivery, enhanced safety features – that soothes their pain, transition is never instant. Allow the divorce to become final, yes.
But. In the meantime, plant your spear. Claim your stake. Leave no doubt in the customer’s mind that you are part of the picture now, not later.
Why waiting is dangerous when change of suppliers happens
Business-to-business (B2B) relationships are sticky. The supplier your prospect is “divorcing” likely has years of history with them—relationships with the procurement officer, emergency contacts with the chefs, perhaps even financial credit arrangements. Breaking these ties is a process, not an event.
And while you wait politely for them to sort things out, competitors are circling. Another supplier may offer to handle the transition logistics. A third may win favor by being “useful” before the switch happens. Meanwhile, you—the suitor who won favour—are seen as absent. By the time you return, the divorce papers may be signed, but not in your favor.
How to claim your space during the transition
So, what do you do when the client agrees your product or service is superior but can’t yet commit to a full change of suppliers? You plant your spear. Claim your space. Stay present.
This doesn’t mean being pushy or attempting to bulldoze your way in before the timing is right. Instead, it’s about presence, value, and partnership.
So sell them your solar lantern for their staff via check-off – something small that they don’t have, and can easily make a decision on. Ask to do a no commitment assessment of their needs to ascertain installation specs. Ask to do a free audit of their current gas usage or train their chefs or relevant staff on safety. Training builds loyalty, and loyalty often tips the scales when decisions get tough.
The hidden dangers of trusting the process
Do something. Just don’t walk away in the (naïve) belief that they will drive the sale themselves. Even in this instance, remain in control of the sale. Run the installation of your gas in tandem with their dismantling of the current provider, if that’s possible.
Ask to offer tips and ideas of how to make the divorce less messy. it demonstrates expertise and positions you as a helpful partner rather than a pushy vendor. When the time comes to change providers, your technical knowledge of their setup gives you an edge. In doing so, you transform from “vendor-in-waiting” to “transition partner.”
Just do something to claim your space. When your prospect says, “Let’s talk after the divorce is final,” they could mean well and be genuine about it. But they are human, life happens, and business needs can be pressing. So obediently abiding to the request and stepping aside can be fatal to your potential sale. By the time you return, you might find the prospect already found another suitor who walked with them through the change of suppliers.
Supplier change management procedure
This is where the concept of a supplier change management procedure becomes your ally. Keep conversations alive. Regularly check in—not just with “Are you ready to sign?” but with value-driven updates.
Share industry insights, safety innovations, or even relevant case studies. The more useful you remain during the waiting period, the harder it is for them to ignore you when the time comes.
Staying in control of the sale in change of suppliers
Prospects want to know you are interested, invested, and willing to walk the journey—not just show up at the finish line. During a change of suppliers, if you rely on waiting until the divorce is final, you may discover too late that another supplier was walking your prospect through the separation while you sat back, confident in your superior product. Don’t fall into that trap. Stay engaged. Plant your spear. Keep your stake in view.
Because in B2B sales, the real win often goes not to the best product, but to the supplier who refused to walk away.
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