How to reply to "can you match this competitor's price?"
"Another company has quoted £2,000 less. Can you match it?" arrives just when you thought the work was yours. With a product, price matching is simple: same item, lower price, match it or not. With a service, it rarely is. Two quotes for "a new website" or "monthly bookkeeping" can describe very different amounts of work. This guide shows how to compare the quotes fairly, gives you replies for matching, changing the scope or holding your price, walks through a worked email exchange, and explains how to keep an AI agent out of price negotiations while it handles the rest.
The short answer
Thank them for telling you, then ask to see the other quote or a list of what it includes, so you can compare like for like. If it really is the same work, decide whether you can match it. If it is not, explain the difference in a sentence and offer a smaller version of your own service at a lower price. Hold your price politely when the gap is about value you will not cut.
Replies you can adapt
Change the details to match your business. Names, prices and times are examples.
| When | Reply |
|---|---|
| First reply | Thank you for telling me, rather than just going elsewhere. Could you share the other quote, or a list of what it includes? I would like to make sure we are comparing the same work before I reply properly. |
| It is like for like, and you can match | Thank you for sending it. It covers the same work, and I would like to work with you, so I am happy to match £4,800. Shall I send the updated quote? |
| It is like for like, and you cannot match | I have looked at it carefully and it does cover the same work. I cannot bring our price down that far and still do the job properly, so I will understand if you go with them. If anything changes, we would be glad to help. |
| It leaves things out | Thank you. Their quote does not include the content migration or the three months of support that ours does. If you do not need those, I can take them out and bring our price to £5,100, which is close to theirs. |
| Offering a smaller version | If budget is the main concern, we could start with the first two phases for £3,200 and add the rest later. You would still have a working system by March. |
| Holding your price | I understand the difference matters. Our price reflects a named account manager and a four-hour response time, which we cannot offer for less. I would rather be clear about that than cut corners. |
| Matching part of the gap | I cannot match it exactly, but I can include the first month of support at no charge, which brings the difference down to about £300. Would that work? |
| They will not share the quote | That is completely fine. If you can tell me roughly what it includes, such as the number of visits and what is covered, I can tell you honestly whether ours is better value. |
What to avoid
- Dropping your price straight away. It tells the customer your first price was not real.
- Matching a quote you have not seen. You may be agreeing to do more work for less money.
- Criticising the other company. Point out differences in what is included and let the customer judge.
- Cutting price without cutting scope when the work cannot be done properly for less.
- Letting an AI agent agree to any price change, however small.
What to tell your AI agent
- Tell it to thank the customer and ask for the other quote, or a list of what it includes.
- Tell it never to agree to match, discount or change a price; every price decision goes to you.
- Give it your package note, so it can explain what your quote includes while you decide.
- Ask it to summarise both quotes side by side for you, once the customer shares the other one.
- Give it a holding line, such as "I have passed this to Sam, who will reply today."
When a person should take over
- Every decision to match, part-match or hold your price.
- Changes to scope, payment terms or timings that come with a price request.
- Large contracts or long-term clients, where the relationship matters as much as this one quote.
Why service quotes are rarely like for like
Two quotes can use the same words and mean different things. One "website" includes copywriting, training and support; another is a template with your logo on it. One "monthly bookkeeping" covers 300 transactions and payroll; another stops at 100. The customer often cannot see the difference, which is why they ask you.
This is good news. When you look closely, many lower quotes turn out to be for less work. Showing that calmly, without running anyone down, is often enough to win the job at your price.
Compare the two quotes in five checks
- What exactly is delivered? List the outputs: pages, visits, reports, hours.
- What limits apply? Number of changes, transactions, people or sites.
- What happens afterwards? Support, guarantees, warranties or follow-up visits.
- Who does the work? A named specialist, a team or a subcontractor.
- What is the timing and how is it paid? Upfront, staged or monthly, and how long it takes.
If all five line up, it is a true like-for-like comparison and your decision is simply whether you want the work at that price. If they do not, you have your explanation.
Your four options
| Option | When it makes sense | What to say |
|---|---|---|
| Match | Same work, and you have room in your margin. | Agree once, clearly, and send an updated quote. |
| Change the scope | The other quote does less, or the customer needs less. | Offer a smaller version at a lower price. |
| Meet part-way | The gap is small and you want the client. | Offer one extra or a small reduction, not the full gap. |
| Hold | Your price reflects value you will not cut. | Explain in one line and leave the door open. |
Decide your floor before you reply. Knowing the lowest price at which you would still take the work stops you agreeing to something you resent later.
A worked example
Here is an email thread for an IT support company. The AI agent replies first and prepares a comparison; the owner makes the price decision. Names and details are examples.
| Who | Message |
|---|---|
| Prospect | We like your proposal but another firm has quoted £350 a month against your £480. Can you match it? |
| Business | Thank you for telling us. Could you share their quote, or a list of what it includes? We would like to compare the same thing before replying properly. I have passed this to Dev, who will reply today. |
| Prospect | [Attachment] Here you go. |
| Owner | Thank you, Claire. Their quote covers 10 users and remote support in office hours. Ours covers 15 users, on-site visits and a four-hour response time. If you only need remote support for 10 users, I can offer that for £370 a month. If the visits and quicker response matter, our original price stands. |
| Prospect | The visits matter, actually. Let us go with the full one at £480. |
The agent asked the right question and kept out of the negotiation. Before the owner replied, the agent had put the two quotes side by side for him, which took him two minutes to check.
A note for your AI agent
Price match requests
If a customer says a competitor is cheaper, or asks us to match a price:
1. Thank them for telling us.
2. Ask for the other quote, or a list of what it includes.
3. Say: "I have passed this to Dev, who will reply today."
4. Hand the chat to Dev. Do not reply further on price.
If they share the other quote, write Dev a side-by-side summary:
users, support hours, visits, response time, contract length, price.
Never agree to match, discount or change anything.If you prefer to read everything before it goes out, ask your AI agent to hold replies as drafts, and nothing goes out until you approve it.
How Spaces fits in
Spaces connects your own mailbox, LinkedIn and messaging accounts to the AI agent you already use, so it can send the first reply in the customer's thread within minutes and hand the chat to you. Handing a chat to a person keeps the agent out of that conversation until you hand it back, which is exactly what you want in a price negotiation.
Sum up and next step
Thank them, ask to see what the other quote includes, and compare like for like. Then match, change the scope, meet part-way or hold, and say which in one clear message.
Decide your floor before you reply, and keep every price decision for yourself.
Pricing
FAQ
Should I always ask to see the other quote?
Ask, but do not insist. Many customers are happy to share it, and it is the only way to compare fairly. If they would rather not, ask what it includes in broad terms instead.
Is it bad to match a competitor's price?
Not if it is the same work and you can still do it well and profitably. It becomes a problem when you match without checking, or when every customer learns your first price is negotiable.
What if I think the other quote is unrealistic?
Say what you would check, not what you think of them. For example, "It is worth asking whether their price includes the migration, as that is often charged separately." The customer will usually ask the question themselves.
How do I hold my price without sounding defensive?
Keep it to one or two calm sentences on what your price includes, then leave the choice with them. Thank them for the chance to quote and say you would be glad to help if anything changes.
Can an AI agent handle price match requests?
It can handle the first reply and prepare a comparison for you. It should never agree to a price change. Tell it to ask for the other quote, send a holding line and hand the chat to you.
Should I offer a discount for signing quickly?
Only if you would offer it anyway, and only once. Deadlines invented to pressure people tend to backfire in business-to-business sales, where buyers often need sign-off from someone else.
What if they come back after choosing the cheaper firm?
Welcome them back without any hint of "I told you so". Ask what they need now, and quote as normal. Many good long-term clients start this way.