"Your quote is too high" — the sentence every salesperson dreads. How to respond calmly and confidently in English.
B1 · Monologue · 3 Min. · free
Tip: listen to the episode twice before you start the test. · Worksheet (PDF)
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Transcript
Key phrases
Language notes
In this episode you learn to respond to the price objection "your quote is too high": first ask what the customer is comparing with, then break down the value, and if the budget is fixed, adjust the scope instead of the price. Plus the false friend aktuell/actually — at level B1.
This episode's false friend: "aktuell" sounds like "actually" but means "current". "Actually" means "in fact, in reality" — often with a correcting undertone: "Actually, we never received your email." Saying "our actual price list" accidentally implies there is also a fake one. Correct: "our current price list", "our current prices", "the current version". Rule of thumb: current = valid now, actual = real (as opposed to assumed).
German buyers often state price objections bluntly ("Das ist zu teuer."). English speakers usually soften the same objection ("I have to be honest, the quote is a little higher than we expected") — the meaning is identical. Your answer should have the same structure in both cultures: thanks for the openness, a clarifying question, facts. And in both: bad-mouthing the competitor damages you — compare facts like delivery times, warranty and service, and let the customer judge.
The strongest move in the episode: if the budget is truly fixed, don't cut the price — adjust the scope: "If the budget is fixed, we can adjust the scope." A smaller first phase, fewer units, a later expansion step: the customer gets a path to yes, and your price level stays intact. Discounting instantly, by contrast, signals that the first price was never serious — and from then on, every quote gets negotiated twice.
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Frequently asked questions
Level B1 (CEFR). The monologue is clearly structured; all model phrases and the eight key terms are explained bilingually.
Three sentences: thanks ("Thank you for being open about it"), a question ("May I ask what you're comparing our quote with?") and one fact that supports the price ("Our current price reflects certified materials and a two-year warranty").
"Current" means valid now ("our current prices"). "Actual" means real/true ("the actual costs were higher than planned"). German "aktuell" tempts learners into "actual" — a classic false friend.
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