The challenge

A boutique brokerage hears a familiar objection: another agent offered a lower fee. Some agents immediately discount. Others become defensive and talk at length about how hard they work. Neither response helps the seller compare the actual services being offered.

The OnCue approach

The team proposes a month of Commission & Fee Objections practice. Agents rehearse asking what the competing proposal includes, explaining their own services, and discussing tradeoffs calmly. The broker supplies the firm’s approved language and reviews examples for accuracy. Success means a customer who understands the offer and can make an informed choice; retaining a particular fee is not the only acceptable outcome.

Research context

Roediger and Karpicke’s 2006 experiments found that retrieving studied material through testing improved delayed retention compared with repeated study. Applying that principle to spoken sales rehearsal is a training-design inference: the experiments did not measure commissions, AI roleplay, or OnCue. Original research abstract, Washington University

Illustrative outcome

Hypothetical example · Not an OnCue result

Assume 20 comparable signed engagements in each period. If discretionary concessions average $750 before the pilot and $500 afterward, the difference is $5,000 in aggregate concessions: 20 × $250. This calculation assumes the same engagement count and does not represent net profit or an OnCue result.

What to verify

Track concession size alongside win rate and customer understanding. A smaller concession is not a commercial improvement if substantially more suitable clients walk away.