Midcap Technology Company

Salesforce Engagement Success Story: Empowering a Mid-Cap Technology Company with Cost Optimization and Strategic Savings

The Negotiator Guru recently partnered with a dynamic mid-cap technology company to facilitate their Salesforce contract renewal negotiations. The client's objective was twofold: to benchmark their rates against industry peers and uncover opportunities for cost optimization. Through our strategic approach, we delivered outstanding results, achieving remarkable cost savings of $1.5 million and cost avoidance of $3.2 million.

Our Approach

To ensure a successful engagement, we leveraged our proven 4-step IT Software Negotiation Process, tailored specifically to address the unique requirements of mid-cap technology companies:

Step 1) Discovery

Working closely with the Chief Information Officer (CIO), we delved into the client's historical utilization of Salesforce over the years. By understanding their specific use cases and pain points, we gained valuable insights that informed our negotiation strategy.

Step 2) Strategy

Collaborating with a select group of key stakeholders within the client's organization, we conducted a thorough assessment of how the Salesforce platform would be utilized in the next 3 to 5 years. This exercise resulted in the creation of a comprehensive 5-year license-based roadmap, serving as the foundation for our negotiation plan.

Step 3) Negotiate

As a trusted advisor, we provided silent guidance to the CIO, who maintained a direct connection with Salesforce. This particular negotiation required extensive effort to achieve the most successful outcome. Leveraging our expertise and negotiation skills, we advocated for the client's interests and worked diligently to secure favorable terms and rates.

Step 4) Contract Execution

Collaborating with the client's Legal department, we meticulously analyzed the contract to identify and mitigate potential risks and open-ended obligations. By ensuring a solid and favorable agreement, we provided the client with enhanced contractual protection.

The Remarkable Results

Our engagement delivered exceptional results for the client. They achieved substantial cost savings of $1.5 million and cost avoidance of $3.2 million.

Additionally, we helped the client eliminate shelf ware and underutilized assets, optimizing their Salesforce deployment. Through lower rates and improved billing terms, we created a positive cash flow that allowed the client to reinvest in other strategic initiatives, fueling their growth.

At The Negotiator Guru, we pride ourselves on delivering impactful cost optimization and strategic savings for technology companies. This success story exemplifies our ability to navigate complex negotiations, secure favorable terms, and unlock substantial value for our clients. Contact us today to leverage our expertise and drive optimal Salesforce contract renewals for your organization.

See More Case Studies

From Phoenix to Tokyo, we turn impossible vendor demands into client victories.

How we reduced carrier shipping expenses by $450,000

Our client was a mid-market manufacturing company with approximately $80M in annual revenue  Our focus for savings was in reducing the costs of their carrier shipping services.

We created these savings in a 3 ways:

  1. We saved them 20% on their LTL and FTL pricing by consolidating all of their existing contracts together from multiple locations into a single contract with a lower rate. We did this for FedEx, UPS and USPS

  2. We analyzed their shipping needs optimized their shipping channels (FTL, LTL, Parcel, Train)
    • Significant cost savings were generated by moving lower priority packages from shipping with UPS to USPS
    • Select shipments were moved from road to train which is becoming an increasingly cost effective way to ship packages

  3. We identified that slowing shipping down by 1 day would not impact the customer's business operations, but would reduce the overall shipping expenses by 10%

In total this created a $450,000 annual cost reduction for the company's carrier shipping contracts.

How we negotiated $13M in savings for a financial services firm

Reducing Salesforce contract from $25M to $12M

One of our recent clients was a financial services company with $15B+ in annual revenue and 5,000+ employees.

We worked with the client to:

  • Identify current state of contracts across the globe
  • Identify key stakeholders within IT and business units that utilized similar software packages
  • Coordinate global business units and stakeholder meetings to discuss opportunity, gather feedback and drive results
  • Utilize proprietary tools, templates and techniques to assign global roles & responsibilities, action items and negotiation tactics in interest of speaking from one voice

The results:

  • $13M+ in client savings
  • Negotiated client’s agreement with Salesforce down from $25 million to $12 Million for a 3-year contract
  • We also identified additional cost-savings opportunities that benefited multiple business units across their organization

Value Creation ERP and E-Commerce Implementation

ERP & E-Commerce Engagement Overview

One of our clients recently engaged us to source, negotiate, and contract with a 1) Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and 2) E-Commerce software platform.

Key Activities

  • Identified current state contracts and client-based obligations
  • Developed a risk profile of current state contract language against enterprise project plan timelines and dependencies
  • Utilized our proprietary decision-matrix framework to drive C-Level decision making
  • Advised client on key dependencies to consider throughout the project
  • Directly provided hands-on support/representation throughout the entire negotiation and contracting process

The Results (not comprehensive)

  • $300K+ Cost Savings
  • $275K+ Cost Avoidance
    • Milestone billing (vs. T&M)
    • Delayed subscription period start, etc.
  • Significant contractual risk mitigation
    • Intellectual Property Rights
    • Eliminated Scope Ambiguity
    • Partner vs. Client Responsibilities
    • Joint Collaboration Agreements, etc.
  • A really happy client