How do you sell against the competitor without maligning them?
Salespeople are notorious for directly and aggressively addressing their competition. Trashing or badmouthing others is easy, but it's hardly ethical. The interviewer will want to learn that you can sell products or services without being malicious. A successful response will demonstrate ways in which you can appeal to reason.
"In my experience, there is value to comparing what you're selling with what your competitor is selling. Clients who are well informed will want to know that your product is bigger, better, faster, or more cost-effective. The way I go about it is by visualizing the numbers. I'll present data comparing our performance versus the client. With this approach, we're looking at the competition objectively. While not all of our numbers might point to us being the better choice, there are ways to show where compromise between features may lie. Further, it's always useful to emphasize the customer experience. I'll talk about what we do differently to take care of the client once the sale is made. After all, we are all human and need that connection."
