Global Technology Company

Salesforce Engagement Success Story: Optimizing Cost and Governance for a Global Technology Company

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Salesforce Contract Optimization: $2.6 Million Saved for Global Technology Company

A prominent global technology company partnered with The Negotiator Guru (TNG) to streamline and optimize their existing contract with Salesforce. The client's objectives were twofold: to ensure they were paying for the licenses they actually needed (right size) and to secure the best possible pricing. The successful outcome of this engagement resulted in an impressive $2.6 million in cost savings and a delighted client who expanded the utilization of TNG's services across their enterprise.

Our Approach

Leveraging our proven 4-step IT Software Negotiation Process, we executed the following key activities to achieve optimal results:

Step 1) Discovery

Recognizing a lack of Salesforce governance within the client's organization, we swiftly engaged with the client to assess the current state. We discovered that although they had a Salesforce Administrator, their role was primarily technical, with limited accountability for license compliance and governance. This insight highlighted a crucial area for improvement.

Step 2) Strategy

To identify cost reduction opportunities, we conducted virtual workshops with the client's team. Through comprehensive quantity, license type, and price benchmarking analysis, we quickly isolated areas where cost optimization could be achieved. This strategic approach allowed us to identify significant cost-saving opportunities.

Step 3) Negotiate

Working closely with Salesforce's renewals team and global leadership, we embarked on resetting the operational and contractual relationship between our client and Salesforce. Through effective negotiation, we achieved mutually beneficial outcomes that addressed our client's cost and contractual requirements, resulting in a stronger partnership.

Step 4) Contract Execution

With a focus on flexibility and future growth, we engaged in extensive negotiations of the contractual terms and conditions. By aligning the contract with the client's growth projections, innovation initiatives, and end-user needs, we ensured that the contract provided the necessary agility and support.

The Remarkable Results

Our engagement left the global technology company highly satisfied with the outcomes achieved. They became a happy client, expanding their utilization of TNG's services throughout their enterprise. The collaboration yielded substantial cost savings of $2.6 million, which the client reinvested strategically in their business. Furthermore, our efforts contributed to the establishment of stronger governance and internal controls within the organization, systematically containing costs and mitigating risks associated with Salesforce licenses.

At The Negotiator Guru, we are dedicated to optimizing software contracts and enhancing governance for our clients. This success story showcases our ability to deliver significant cost savings, establish effective governance structures, and foster long-lasting client satisfaction. Contact us today to leverage our expertise and drive favorable outcomes for your Salesforce engagements.

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