I called on a senior IT manager today who told me, “Our policy is to never buy products that embed open source software.”  She is with a large insurance firm (surprise, surprise). The sales rep I accompanied on this call was unfortunately not that seasoned in objection management, and launched into one of those “Get over it” arguments citing the maturity of the open source movement with comments like “You’re buying open-source products today and just don’t know it.”

Use Open Source to Practice Consultative Selling
This was a great opportunity to practice consultative sales (vs. showing off your superior knowledge to a prospect). If you encounter this argument from a traditional slow adopter of emerging technology (and you should do this homework before you call on your prospect) here are some facts I acquired from doing a little research.

Start With An Objective View of Open Source Realities
Sticking with our insurance example, such IT organizations that ignore or avoid the open source issue are free to do so. But it could put them at a serious disadvantage if their competitors are using mature, stable and well-supported open-source technologies (particularly in those applications that give them business advantage in claims processing or managing customers).

Our sales person wasn’t completely wrong. Open source is indeed entering IT organizations that buy from IBM, BEA, Oracle and SAP, all which benefit from the economics of open-source (but choose to not disclose this information to customers with their own version of “Don’t ask; Don’t tell” ).

These vendors don't lead with the open-source argument, anymore than our insurance firm leads with the economics of its Indian-based call center. 

Oracle, for example, embeds the Apache XML parser in its enterprise ERP solution. In doing so, it directs more resources to functions of higher value vs. lower level system software. Customers get high quality software at lower cost.

Provide Risk Management Advice
Open-source does present risk and to not acknowledge this is naive. But this is where consultative sales people can help. If you’re selling IT consulting services, or even open-source products, advise your client to ask vendors how they support technical issues of products that embed open source. Ask how they provide the same level of legal support (for example, with warranty and indemnity issues).

Talk About Business Advantage
If you let Miss Insurance know that her competitors are benefiting from open source, and how, you’re helping her make an informed decision about how she buys. You become a more trusted adviser if you explain it in terms that are as objective and unbiased as possible. Even if you’re selling products with open-source qualities, hence appear biased, you’ve given your prospect some important information about a competitor.