Objection: Found Another Treatment Center
The Challenge
The client is shopping around, which is natural. Your job is not to attack the competitor, but to educate on quality differences while maintaining professionalism. You need to differentiate Tulip Hill without sounding desperate or defensive.
The Script
(Let them answer.)
"I am very familiar with them. At the end of the day I would rather you go to treatment than not go. BUT, I would HIGHLY encourage you to do more research. Not all treatment is equal. Most are large companies owned by hedge funds that now have 100s of people at one facility that are mixed with Medicaid/Medicare population and court ordered. Most of them are understaffed and over populated with clients. Our facility only has 12 clients there at any given time with 6:1 client to therapist ratio."
Why This Works
1. You Ask, Not Assume
By asking "What facility?" you demonstrate confidence and expertise. You're not rattled by competition — you're familiar with the landscape.
2. You Acknowledge Their Legitimacy
"I would rather you go to treatment than not go" — this disarms defensiveness and shows you genuinely care about their recovery, not just the sale.
3. You Educate on Industry Reality
The hedge fund line, the staffing ratios, the population mix — these are facts that differentiate quality. You're not attacking; you're informing.
4. You Quantify the Difference
"12 clients" vs. "100s of people" and "6:1 ratio" vs. "understaffed" — concrete numbers matter more than vague claims.
Follow-Up Moves
Contrast the Experience
"Here's what I want you to think about: when you walk into a facility with 100+ people, you're a number. When you walk into ours with 12 people, you're a name. The therapists know you. The medical staff knows you. That's the difference between mass-market treatment and boutique care."
Tie-Down Question
"If you could have a small, private setting with master-level therapists who actually know your name, would that be worth it?"
What NOT to Do
- Don't trash competitors directly: "They're terrible" — unprofessional and potentially illegal
- Don't make claims you can't back up: "We're the best in the state" — without evidence
- Don't sound desperate: "Please don't go there" — undermines your authority
- Don't ignore the objection: "Let's not talk about them" — shows fear of comparison
- Don't lie about competitors: If you don't know them, don't pretend you do
The Differentiators to Emphasize
Client Ratio: 12 vs. 100+
Small census means individualized care, not factory processing.
Therapist Ratio: 6:1
More clinical attention per client than industry standard.
Staff Credentials: Master's Level
Not entry-level counselors — experienced, licensed professionals.
Population Mix: Private Pay Focus
Not mixing court-ordered with voluntary clients.
Ownership: Not Hedge Fund
Treatment-focused, not profit-maximizing.
Real-World Application
This objection is an opportunity. Clients who are comparing facilities are serious about treatment. They're just trying to make the right choice. Your confidence in handling this comparison — without desperation or negativity — signals that Tulip Hill truly is the superior option.
After this script, most clients either:
- Ask more questions about Tulip Hill's differentiators (good sign)
- Commit because the quality difference is now clear
- Reveal they weren't serious about the competitor (they were testing you)
Verbatim Competitor Validation Scripts
From 572 successful calls, here's how top agents validate competitor quality while positioning as a collaborative partner:
The Cumberland Heights Response (Tyler Glass)
Agent: "Yeah. It's maybe it'd be good to try something different. You know, Cumberland Heights is fantastic. We work pretty closely with them, but they refer to us quite often when clients have been to them a few times and us to them and vice versa."
Key Technique: Validates the competitor ("Cumberland Heights is fantastic"), positions as collaborative partner ("we work pretty closely with them"), then introduces idea that multiple attempts might need different approaches. Caller accepted this reasoning and continued with intake.
The "Comparing Places" Validation
Agent: "It does. Yep. Comes highly recommended. It always is helpful to have a treatment plan in place when... you know? You don't want to find the willingness, then find a place. You wanna do it in the opposite order. You know?"
Why it works: Validates the shopping approach rather than fighting it. Then reframes urgency around readiness window rather than scarcity or pressure. Positioned planning ahead as strategic advantage.
The Active Listening Approach
Agent: "Mhmm... Okay... Gotcha, man."
Technique: Agent didn't panic or immediately counter-pitch. Used active listening to understand the full picture before offering alternative. After listening fully, agent offered: "Might have something out in the Jackson area that can probably do between 1,000 and 1,500 per day for detox."
The Wrong Number Recovery
Agent: "Yeah. What type of insurance do you have?"
Why it works: Agent didn't let caller disconnect. Instead, took control by asking qualifying question to assess if they could help. Later offered: "But I can get you in contact with someone who will, though. Okay?"
Validating Previous Facility Experience
Agent: "I understand that. Totally. Totally."
Key: Validated caller's concern without badmouthing competitor. Showed understanding without creating negativity.
The Collaborative Positioning Framework
The best responses to competitor objections follow this pattern:
1. Acknowledge Quality
"Cumberland Heights is fantastic" / "They do a tremendous job"
2. Position as Partner
"We work pretty closely with them" / "They refer to us quite often"
3. Introduce Fresh Start
"Maybe it'd be good to try something different" / "Vice versa"
4. Remove Loyalty Guilt
The mutual referral concept removes any feeling of "betraying" their previous facility.
When Caller Was Rejected by Competitor
Agent: "I'm sure he can go back there if he just goes to any hospital and gets medical clearance, though. You know?"
Caller: "Well, they said no. I mean, I tried. I really did."
Agent: "Do you want us to try to make that happen, like, help you with that?"
Powerful move: Offered to personally intervene and advocate with the competitor. Positions as partner with more influence/resources than caller alone. This is the ultimate trust builder.