When a foreign trade customer says "we already have a supplier", here are the practical methods and words to follow up!

1. What does it really mean when a customer says “We have a supplier”?

A 20-year veteran in foreign trade will tell you that this sentence usually hides four subtexts :

• Euphemistic rejection (60%): Customers do not understand you or are not interested in you, and use suppliers as a shield

• Satisfied but keeping a backup plan (30%): basically satisfied with the current supplier, but willing to keep a backup plan (your chance!)

• Price squeeze (7%): Using existing suppliers to lower prices, especially common among Indian and Vietnamese customers

• Test your ability (3%): deliberately set a threshold to test your adaptability and professionalism

Real case : Mr. Zhang, a Zhejiang machinery exporter, once received a reply from a German customer: “We've worked with Supplier A for 10 years” . He did not give up, but replied: “Respecting long-term relationships is admirable. May I become your Plan B? Here's a sample of our quick-shipment program for emergencies”. Three months later, the customer took the initiative to place a trial order due to the delay in delivery of the original supplier.

2. Follow up on the four core strategies (with effect comparison)

Strategy	Applicable scenarios	Key Actions	Conversion cycle
Backup strategy	The customer clearly expressed satisfaction with the existing cooperation	Provide "emergency backup" solution	6-12 months
Value Anchor	Customers express dissatisfaction but are unwilling to change	Use differentiated advantages to enter (technology/delivery time/payment)	3-6 months
Pain point entry	Known customer pain points (such as long delivery times)	Provide targeted solutions	1-3 months
Relationship Penetration	No progress after multiple follow-ups	Please contact other members of the purchasing team or the technical department	12 months+

Guangdong lighting export case: When the customer said "the existing suppliers have stable quality", the salesperson replied: "Great suppliers deserve loyalty! Could you share what you value most? We'll match it and add 24/7 tech support"*. As a result, the customer revealed that "waterproof performance is the most important", and the salesperson sent IP68 certified samples, which eventually won the order.

3. Five-level practical follow-up method (including Chinese and English speech)

Phase 1: Initial response – overcoming resistance (reply within 24 hours)

Key points of the conversation : First praise the customer's loyalty, then make a "backup request"

 【Chinese】
 “Knowing that you already have a stable supplier, it just shows that you value the quality of cooperation. We just want to be your 'emergency plan':
 1. Free sample library (samples can be sent for verification at any time)
 2. Share monthly reports on industry price fluctuations (to help you negotiate)
 3. Open a green channel for urgent orders (shipping within 48 hours)"

 【English】
 “Your long-term partnership speaks volumes about your values. We simply wish to be your safety net:
 1. Free sample bank (ready to ship anytime)
 2. Monthly market price reports (strengthen your negotiation)
 3. Emergency order channel (48-hour shipment)”

Stage 2: Value Demonstration - Replace "Verbal Promises" with "Comparison Charts"

When customers mention the advantages of existing suppliers, make a three-dimensional comparison table :

Evaluation Items	Existing Suppliers	Your company plan	Customer Benefits
Delivery	45 days	30 days	Reduce inventory costs by 20%
Payment Methods	100% TT	30% deposit	Cash flow optimization
Defect Rate	2%	0.5%	Reduce after-sales costs

Tips: Data sources include customer disclosures, competitor websites, and industry reports. Add a sentence at the end: “We’re not asking you to switch, just suggesting a backup reference”

Phase 3: Pain point stimulation - targeting "supplier weaknesses"

• Delivery issue : “ If your current supplier delays again, our dock holds 200 units for urgent needs”

• Quality fluctuations : send two samples : 1 piece according to customer standards, 1 piece according to higher standards (with test report)

• Price complaint : “When they next raise prices, here’s a fixed-rate offer valid for 6 months”

Stage 4: Long-term stickiness — lightweight and regular reach

Avoid mass promotion! Use the value reminder mode :

 【Topic】Market alert: Raw material prices down 5% this month
 【text】
 “Hi [Name],
 Noticed copper prices dropped. If you plan to renegotiate with suppliers,
 use this report to push for better terms. (PDF attached)
 No pressure – just useful intelligence. ”
 (Copper prices are falling. If you need to renegotiate, this report can help you get better terms. No pressure, just information sharing)

Stage 5: Breaking the deadlock - the "final blow" when the customer does not respond

 【Chinese】
 “I have sent [product] information repeatedly but have not received a response. I guess you may:
 - 100% satisfaction with existing suppliers
 - Worried about the risks of switching suppliers
 If the latter, we offer 'Zero Risk Testing':
 √ First order refund guarantee (full refund if not satisfied)
 √ Free sharing of inspection reports (third-party agencies)
 √ Bear the round-trip shipping cost of samples"

 【English】
 “Since my updates went unanswered, I assume either:
 - You're 100% satisfied with current supplier, or
 - Hesitant to switch due to risk.
 If the latter, try our risk-free test:
 √ Money-back guarantee
 √ 3rd-party inspection shared
 √ Free sample return shipping”

4. Three major customer pain point mining techniques

Method 1: Infer the pain points from the "rejection words"

Customer's original words	Potential pain points	Follow-up strategy
“Price too high”	Cost sensitive or skeptical of premium	Provide price composition analysis table
“We value stability”	Suffered a supply cut	Demonstrate safety stock solutions
“Happy with quality”	High quality requirements	Shipping comparison test video

Method 2: Dig deep into negative reviews of competing products (quickly locate breakthroughs)

Operation path: Google search "当前供应商名称" + "problem" OR "issue" → analyze industry forum complaints → solve them in a targeted manner
Case: When we found a competitor’s “packaging damage” complaint on Alibaba, we immediately sent the customer an improvement plan: “ Our crates use steel-reinforced corners – see test video”

Method 3: Use “scenario questions” instead of direct questions

 ❌ Ineffective question: “What do you need?”
 ✅ Pirate Negotiation Skills: “If your main supplier failed to deliver in peak season, what's your Plan B?”
 (If the main supplier is out of stock during the peak season, what is your alternative plan?)

5. Four skills of negotiation and communication

1. Pirate Concession Method : Lock in Benefits with Conditional Sentences

• “ If you give us 3 trial orders this year, then we'll freeze the price for 2025”

• “Subject to 40% deposit, we could expedite production”

2. Cross-cultural dialogue adaptation

• German customers : Avoid vague words and use "Exactly 18.5% discount" instead of "About 20% off"

• Japanese customers : Say "We'll study this carefully" instead of saying "No" directly

• Middle Eastern customers : Reserve 20% of social content at the beginning of the email, such as "How was your Eid?"

3. “Misaligned response” to break the bargaining price

When a customer says: “Your competitor offers $10”
❌ Common response: “We can match it” (get into a price war)
✅ Misplaced response: *“At $10, did they include ISO-certified materials like ours?”* (Does the other party’s quotation include ISO-certified materials?)

4. Use visualization instead of text description

• Delivery issue → Shoot real-time video of production line

• Quality concerns → Make a competitive product comparison table (with destructive test GIF)

Case: A Shanghai tool manufacturer sent a slow-motion video of a "hammer stress test" to an American customer instead of a parameter description, increasing the order conversion rate by 70%.

6. Long-term customer relationship maintenance system

1. Customer Tiered Management Model

Tiers	feature	Maintenance strategy
Category A	Annual purchases $500K+	Monthly CEO video conference + priority capacity allocation
Category B	High potential value but no order placed	Quarterly industry report + sample upgrade plan
Category C	Small trial order	Automated email nurturing (price reduction/new product)
Category D	Explicit rejection	Reach a large number of people every half year

2. Customer Succession Techniques for Resigned Salespeople

• Mandatory recording of customer 3D portraits :

  Customer Information Template

   [Key person’s personality]: Technical background, hates sales
   [Historical pain point]: $12,000 claim due to damaged packaging in 2024
   [Reason for non-deal]: The current supplier is the boss’ relative 

• Use tools such as GyroJiang Enterprise Assistant to automatically synchronize chat history/to-do items

3. Capture the spare tire positive signal

When a customer exhibits the following behaviors, immediately promote the deal:

• Request for a re-quote (especially if it is a surprise)

• Complaints about delivery delays from existing suppliers

• Ask for the minimum order quantity (MOQ)

• Abnormal increase in contact frequency

Key actions : Provide a "special transition plan" at this time:
“To ease your transition, we'll handle your first 3 shipments at old pricing”
(To facilitate transition, the first three batches will be sold at the original supplier's price)

7. The Ultimate Strategy: From “Supplier” to “Solution Partner”

Rules for veteran foreign traders :

1. Never disparage your competitors : “Your supplier is excellent, we’re just different”

2. Accept a 90% silence rate : 20 follow-up letters for 1 order is considered a success

3. Spare tires should have dignity : "We're your backup, not beggar" (We are your backup, not beggars)

Classic case review :

The Dubai building materials supplier replied "We're fully covered" for three consecutive years. The salesperson insisted on sending the "Gulf Building Materials Trend Report" every quarter, and when the local heavy rain caused the original supplier's warehouse to flood in 2025, he immediately sent a pre-prepared inventory list (title: Emergency stock available in Jebel Ali ). Finally, he received an emergency order of $230,000 and became the main supplier.

The essence of winning is not to snatch customers, but to be the fastest responder to customers’ difficulties. When cracks appear in the supplier system, your professional reserves and patient follow-up will become the light that illuminates the dark moments of the customer’s supply chain .