What was said
What this says
Current to 11 Oct 26Negotiation call on 30 May 2025: Enterprise scope agreed, no movement on the £129,000 total, freshness credits and termination wording to be settled, quarterly invoicing under consideration, signature targeted before 26 Jun 2025.
What happened: Sophie Ling and Owen Tallis met Philippa Gore, Clara Hoskins and Gavin Rudd. The security review is behind them and the scope is Enterprise.
Customer view: Clara raised two points: service credits must cover data freshness as well as availability, and termination assistance. Philippa said she would rather have a fair number and a clean contract than a clever one.
Commercial: Owen declined to move the total, saying the figure already reflects a first-term position. Sophie clarified to Gavin that £129,000 is the total including one-off implementation, with the subscription the recurring part, and Gavin is considering quarterly invoicing.
Watch: Philippa signs only after Samuel's sign-off, so he sees the final version first. The evidence does not show whether the order form was signed.
Themes
Current to 9 Oct 26Who was there
BB-Demo
Them
Follow-up
Next steps
Current to 9 Oct 26- Sophie Ling to send the freshness wording and the termination sentence on 30 May 2025.
- Clara Hoskins to send comments by Tuesday and Gavin Rudd to confirm invoicing by Wednesday.
Risks
Current to 9 Oct 26- Signature depends on Samuel's sign-off and on Clara's remaining comments, with the target close at 26 Jun 2025.
- The freshness wording and termination assistance must match what Enterprise credits and the customer expects.
Opportunities
Current to 9 Oct 26- Quarterly invoicing is available on request and may help Gavin Rudd's cash planning.
- Because the data sits in the customer's own Snowflake account, the exit wording is simple to agree.
Transcript
- Sophie Ling NoneHello, can everyone hear me? I think I've got the right room this time.
- Clara Hoskins NoneLoud and clear. Philippa's just joining, I can see her in the lobby.
- Philippa Gore NoneHello, all. Apologies, the previous meeting ran over. Sophie, Owen, good to see you. Let's start with the headline, please.
- Sophie Ling NoneOf course. The headline is that we're close. Security review is behind us, the scope is agreed as Enterprise, and what's left is commercial wording and how the money is invoiced. Owen's here because he'd like to be sure we land the paper cleanly.
- Owen Tallis NoneThanks, Sophie. Hello, everyone. Where we stand against the date: the target close is Thursday 26 June 2025. That's about four weeks. What's the next dated step from your side?
- Clara Hoskins NoneThat's what I wanted to cover. I have our comments on the order form and the master agreement. Most are small. Two are not.
- Philippa Gore NoneWhich two? Tell me early, Clara, I don't like surprises on the day.
- Clara Hoskins NoneThe first is the service credits wording. As an FCA-authorised firm we need the credits to cover data freshness as well as availability, because our complaints team works from the morning refresh. The second is termination assistance, so that if we ever leave, our data is returned and the brain is wound down in an orderly way.
- Owen Tallis NoneRight. On the first, Enterprise already credits both availability and freshness, so that's a yes in principle. I want to see your wording against our standard before I say it's identical. Sophie?
- Sophie Ling NoneAgreed. I'll put both side by side and send them over today. The order form can state the freshness commitment explicitly, so nobody has to read between the lines.
- Philippa Gore NoneGood. What's the regulatory angle on termination? Clara, did you check with Samuel?
- Clara Hoskins NoneI did. He's happy that the data sits in our own Snowflake account, so the exit is simpler than with most suppliers. He just wants the wording to say it plainly.
- Owen Tallis NoneThat helps us, actually. Because it runs inside your account, there's nothing for us to hand back. We can write that in as a sentence. I don't see a problem.
- Philippa Gore NoneGood. Then I'll leave the detail with Clara and Gavin. Owen, who owns this on your side if there's a dispute later?
- Owen Tallis NoneSophie owns the commercial terms until signature. After that Daniel Okafor, our customer success manager, takes the account. He'd be your first call, and I'm the escalation.
- Philippa Gore NoneFine. That's clear.
- Gavin Rudd NoneCan I come in on the money? Sorry, I've been muted. I need to be sure I understand the number. The deal is £129,000. Is that a yearly figure?
- Sophie Ling NoneGood question, and no, it's not annual. The £129,000 is the total value of the deal. It includes the one-off implementation fee, then the first year's subscription on top. So the subscription is the smaller part of it, and it's the subscription that recurs at renewal.
- Gavin Rudd NoneRight, so for my forecast I need to separate the one-off from the recurring. Can you give me those as two lines on the order form?
- Sophie Ling NoneYes, they already are two lines. I'll make sure the invoice schedule mirrors them so you're not splitting anything by hand.
- Gavin Rudd NoneThank you. And invoicing: is the subscription all in advance?
- Owen Tallis NoneAnnual in advance is standard, thirty-day terms. Quarterly is possible on request. Is that something you'd want?
- Gavin Rudd NoneI think quarterly would sit better with our cash planning, yes. Let me confirm with the team and come back to you.
- Clara Hoskins NoneWhile we're on price, I have to ask, and you'll expect me to. Is there any movement on the total? Procurement will want to see we tested it.
- Owen Tallis NoneI expected it, Clara. Straight answer: the figure you have already reflects a first-term position and I'm not going to move it again. Let's not discount twice. What I can do is look at payment timing, which is what Gavin's raised.
- Clara Hoskins NoneUnderstood. I'll note that we asked and that the answer was no on the total, yes on schedule.
- Philippa Gore NoneThat's acceptable to me. I'd rather have a fair number and a clean contract than a clever one.
- Owen Tallis NoneAppreciated. Last thing from me: who signs? I want it named on the order form so we're not chasing at the end.
- Philippa Gore NoneI sign. But I don't sign without Samuel's sign-off, so he sees the final version first. He's been through the security material already, so it should be quick.
- Sophie Ling NonePerfect. So let me say it back. I send the freshness wording and the termination sentence today. Clara sends her remaining comments early next week. Gavin confirms quarterly invoicing. Then a clean order form goes to Samuel, and Philippa signs ahead of Thursday 26 June 2025.
- Clara Hoskins NoneYes. I'll get comments to you by Tuesday.
- Gavin Rudd NoneAnd I'll have the invoicing answer by Wednesday.
- Owen Tallis NoneGood. Then we've got dates and owners. Thank you, all.
- Philippa Gore NoneThank you. Goodbye.