Brackwell Freight Ltd / B-Brain – Negotiation
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Brackwell Freight Ltd: documents · 2023-11-06 16:30
Negotiation call before signature: the total stayed at twenty-five and a half thousand pounds, implementation included. Brackwell got a user review clause, extra users at the published add-on and an option to pay quarterly. Signature was targeted for 17 Nov 2023.
What was said
What this says
Current to 11 Oct 26Negotiation call before signature: the total stayed at twenty-five and a half thousand pounds, implementation included. Brackwell got a user review clause, extra users at the published add-on and an option to pay quarterly. Signature was targeted for 17 Nov 2023.
What happened: Tom Ashdown and Owen Tallis agreed terms with Liam Doherty and Joanne Platt on the 6 Nov 2023 call. The customer director was due to sign the order form by 17 Nov 2023.
Customer view: Liam wanted movement on price and, above all, no friction past fifteen users. Joanne needed separate lines, a VAT line, the PO sequence and the correct legal entity.
Commercial: Owen held the total and offered a written user review at the first check-in, extra users at the published add-on, and quarterly invoicing. He would not promise any price after the first term beyond the list price then.
Watch: Liam said a slip past the signing date would push the deal to January. The evidence does not show whether it was signed.
Themes
Current to 9 Oct 26Theme
Order form terms negotiation
Importance
neutral
Sentiment
positive
Voice
champion
Who was there
B-Brain
CRMmade from
Them
CRMmade from
Follow-up
Next steps
Current to 9 Oct 26- Tom Ashdown sends the order form with the invoice schedule, VAT line and exact legal entity on the Wednesday.
- The Brackwell director signs and Owen Tallis countersigns by 17 Nov 2023.
- Joanne Platt raises the purchase order once the signed order form arrives, then B-Brain invoices.
Risks
Current to 9 Oct 26- Signing slipping past the target date would push the deal into January because of the pre-Christmas peak.
- The customer will see a renewal price at the list price then, with no discount promised beyond the first term.
- Accounts payable will not raise a purchase order until the signed order form or final figures arrive.
Opportunities
Current to 9 Oct 26- Going past fifteen users on Starter would be priced from the published add-on without a new negotiation.
- A first check-in user review gives a scheduled point to discuss extra depot users.
Transcript
Tom Ashdown NoneAfternoon all. Liam, I can see you. Joanne, I think you've just joined, can you hear us all right?
Joanne Platt NoneGood afternoon. Yes, I can hear you, thank you. I should say I have the proposal document open in front of me, so I'm happy to refer to it as we go.
Liam Doherty NoneAfternoon. Sorry, I'm in the car park at the depot, it's the only quiet place. If I go a bit quiet it's a lorry, not the signal.- Tom Ashdown NoneNo bother. Joanne, you and Owen haven't met. Owen's our VP Sales, he's joining because we're talking terms and I wanted a senior name on it. Owen, Joanne's in accounts payable at Brackwell and she'll be the one who has to make the paperwork work.
Owen Tallis NoneGood to meet you, Joanne. Hello Liam. Right, I'll be brisk because I know it's late in the day. Where do we stand against the date? Tom's told me we're aiming to have this signed by Friday 17 November 2023. So what's the next dated step, and who signs?- Liam Doherty NoneDirector signs. She's seen the proposal, she's happy with what it does. What she wants is for Joanne to be comfortable with the paper, and for me to come back with anything on price.
- Joanne Platt NoneYes. I can confirm I've read the proposal. A few things I'd need to be able to match. First, whether the order form will quote the implementation fee and the subscription as separate lines, because I would need those to match against the purchase order.
- Owen Tallis NoneYes. Two lines. Implementation is a one-off, fixed fee. Subscription is annual, in advance. The deal total you've seen on the proposal is the two together.
- Tom Ashdown NoneAnd I want to be clear on that, because I said it to Liam last time and I'd hate it to get muddled. The total of twenty-five and a half thousand pounds is everything in the first year, implementation included. It isn't the annual price on its own.
- Joanne Platt NoneThank you, that's helpful. And the VAT? The proposal doesn't say whether the figure is before or after VAT. I would need the order form to show the VAT line separately.
- Owen Tallis NoneFigures are ex VAT and the invoice will show VAT as its own line. I'll make sure the order form says so in terms.
- Joanne Platt NoneGood. Payment terms, then. Brackwell pays within terms and I would want to keep it that way. What are the terms?
- Owen Tallis NoneThirty days from invoice. Annual in advance by default, quarterly if you ask for it.
- Joanne Platt NoneThirty days is fine. I would not be able to give a payment date until I have the invoice and I have checked it, but if it matches, it will go on the next payment run.
- Liam Doherty NoneThat's all good for me. So, Owen, can I be honest about the price? I told Tom I'd probably ask for something. My director's view is that it's fair for what it replaces, but the first-year total is a lot to sign off in one go, and I've got that user limit sitting there too.
- Owen Tallis NoneOkay. Say it plainly, what are you asking for?
- Liam Doherty NoneTwo things. Some movement on the total. And a way to add depot users without it turning into a whole new conversation when we go past fifteen.
- Owen Tallis NoneRight. So let me say where I am. The total stays where it is, twenty-five and a half thousand pounds, implementation included. I'm not going to move it, and I'll tell you why. It's already priced for a first term for a customer starting small, and I don't want to discount twice.
- Liam Doherty NoneHmm. Okay. I did think you might say that.
- Owen Tallis NoneBut I'm not coming empty-handed on the second part. The user limit on Starter is soft. That means going past fifteen doesn't switch anything off. What I can do is write into the order form that we review the user count together at the first check-in, and that extra users are priced from the published add-on, not from a new negotiation. So no surprise, and nothing you have to renegotiate.
- Liam Doherty NoneThat's actually what I wanted, if I'm honest. It was more about not being stuck than the money.
- Tom Ashdown NoneAnd that's a fair thing to want. If the depots take off, the last thing you want is somebody being told they can't log in.
- Owen Tallis NoneAgreed. Let me add something on the cash side, because that's Joanne's world. If it helps, we can invoice the subscription quarterly instead of annually in advance. The total doesn't change, the timing does. Joanne, would that be easier for you?
- Joanne Platt NoneIt would be easier for cash flow, and I would not object. I would ask that each invoice quote the purchase order, and that the order form says plainly how many invoices there will be and on which dates.
- Owen Tallis NoneFine. I'll put the schedule in the order form with dates. Who raises the purchase order, you or Liam?
- Joanne Platt NoneI raise it, but I need the signed order form, or at least the final figures, before I can. I would not raise one against a proposal.
- Liam Doherty NoneSensible. So the order is, the order form goes out, director signs, Joanne raises the PO, and then you can invoice.
- Owen Tallis NoneYes. And I want that to be tight. Order form goes out to you on Wednesday. Your director signs by Friday 17 November 2023, and I countersign the same day. If it slips past that, what happens, Liam?
- Liam Doherty NoneIt's the pre-Christmas peak. If we're not signed by then she'll hold off until January, and I'd be gutted. So it can't slip. I'll chase her on Thursday.
- Tom Ashdown NoneI'll also make sure the implementation plan is ready the day it's signed, so we're not waiting on ourselves. Four weeks fixed, so the sooner it starts the better your peak looks.
- Joanne Platt NoneOne more matter, if I may. The legal entity on the order form must match the supplier record I have for Brackwell. It's the full registered name with the limited company suffix. Could someone confirm that on the form?
- Tom Ashdown NoneI'll use the name exactly as it's on your proposal, and you tell me if anything's off. If it's wrong it's my paperwork that's wrong, so say.
- Joanne Platt NoneThank you. I would also like the order form to quote the term, the start date and the renewal basis, so there is no ambiguity when the next year comes round.
- Owen Tallis NoneIt will. Term, start, annual renewal, and the notice that goes with it. Our customer success lead, Marcus, owns the renewal conversation, and he will write well ahead of the date.
- Liam Doherty NoneGood. I'd rather know early than get a surprise. And that thing about the price after the first term, can that be written down as well?
- Owen Tallis NoneThe order form will say what the subscription is for the first term. After that, renewal is at the list price that applies then. I won't promise a number now that I can't stand behind, and I won't quote a discount beyond the first term. But you'll have notice before it matters.
- Liam Doherty NoneFair. I'd rather that than a promise that falls apart.
- Owen Tallis NoneRight. So let me play it back. Total stays at twenty-five and a half thousand pounds, implementation included. The first-term discount position is as proposed and not moving. In return you get the user review written into the order form, extra users at the published add-on, and the subscription invoiced quarterly if Joanne prefers. Order form goes out Wednesday for signature by Friday 17 November 2023. Anything you'd add?
- Joanne Platt NoneOnly that the invoice schedule and the VAT line are on the face of the order form. If they are, I can confirm that I will have what I need.
- Liam Doherty NoneNothing from me. That's a good outcome. Thanks both. Tom, Owen, appreciated.
- Tom Ashdown NoneBrilliant. Leave that with me, I'll send the order form over Wednesday and keep you posted. Cheers Liam, thanks Joanne.
- Owen Tallis NoneThanks all. Speak after Friday week, with a signature.
- Joanne Platt NoneThank you. Kind regards, and goodbye.
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