Trust goes much further than anything else. There is no benefit for a race to the bottom. Typically, you can have affordability, availability, and quality. You can usually only pick two, which is the nature of the beast, but striving to offer all three is what will guarantee your clients choose to stay with you.

An additional argument that can be used in this scenario is to present the potential exit impact that the client may have with a new provider and typically are not taken into consideration, for example: contract fines for contract termination before the end, amortization and demobilization cost, learning curve of new provider, union relationship, etc. This type of argument should be used as a complementary aspect in the negotiation and should not be the main argument to retain the client.

Your track record with your customer should be the most valuable evidence they need to be reminded of as to why it is in their best interest to remain with you. You should have a strong relationship already established with them where you’ve always responded quickly to any needs or issues. If necessary, you can remind them of specific circumstances where you were able to help them quickly resolve problems and concerns. You’ve demonstrated that you’re their trusted partner. When most customers are reminded of this, and your pricing is competitive, it’s hard for another company to take them away from you.

Listen, identify customer's pain points, debrief with your team, plan for a meeting to give feedback. Emphasize what sets your service apart from competitors (personalized support, specialized expertise, or superior product quality). Use metrics, data, and analytics to showcase the tangible benefits they’ve already experienced with you. Highlight the ROI and specific achievements since partnering with your company. Leverage testimonials to build trust: connecting customers, allowing them to see your product/solution adopted and seeing the competitive advantge that creates is powerful. It also creates a sense of community and the possibility to share new process, innovation, end customers trends and desiderata.

If your client is eyeing the competition, it's crucial to have an open, one-on-one conversation to understand their concerns. First, identify the reasons behind their interest and address them head-on. Provide reassurance by outlining the steps you're taking to meet their needs, supported by examples of how you've successfully handled similar situations in the past. Emphasize the value of the relationship you've built over the years—remind them of how you've celebrated successes together and stood by them during challenging times. Your commitment to their success should be the foundation of this discussion.