What was said
What this says
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026Renewal call on 6 Aug 2026. Clashmore's managing director said he never signs without a price conversation, and the £22k renewal quote is up from £19k. Usage of three or four active users out of fifteen is the weak point.
What happened: Renewal call on 6 Aug 2026 with Cian O'Leary, Deirdre Barry and Donal Coughlan. Lewis Kerr quoted £22k against the £19k now on the order form and invoiced.
Customer view: Cian said he never signs without a conversation about price and asked for some movement, even a small one. Deirdre said consultants like seeing roles, placements and invoices on one page.
Commercial: The quote is the Starter list price and Lewis would not promise a discount, saying any movement needs approval. The deal was set to close on 24 Aug 2026; the evidence does not show what happened after the call.
Watch: Only three or four of fifteen licensed users are active in a typical week, which weakens the value case. Elena Novak owes Deirdre training options and a permissions answer.
Themes
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026Who was there
BG-Demo
Them
Follow-up
Next steps
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026- Lewis Kerr sends the written quote and comes back on price in writing before the 24 Aug 2026 close date.
- Elena Novak sends Deirdre Barry training options and a written answer on permissions.
- Elena Novak confirms invoice timing with BG-Demo finance and sends it to Donal Coughlan.
Risks
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026- The managing director wants a price concession and said he never signs without a price conversation.
- Only three or four of fifteen licensed users are active in a typical week, so the customer questions what it is paying for.
- The renewal date is 18 Sep 2026 and the outcome of the price discussion is not shown.
Opportunities
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026- Training the consultants who have not started could widen use and support the value case for the Starter renewal.
- The customer said it is renewing, probably, which keeps the subscription in play at the Starter list price.
Transcript
- Elena NovakGood afternoon, everyone. Can you all hear me properly?
- Deirdre BarryGrand, I can hear you fine. Cian is just sorting his headset, he's been at it a minute.
- Cian O'LearyAfternoon. Can you hear me? Right. Did any of you see the hurling at the weekend? Heartbreaking. I'm not over it.
- Lewis KerrI'm more of a football man, Cian, I'm afraid. But I heard it was a close one.
- Cian O'LearyClose, he says. We were robbed. Anyway. Give me the headline, what are we here for?
- Elena NovakOf course. To confirm, as in the agenda I emailed beforehand, we have three points. One, where the contract stands and when it ends. Two, how the brain has been used this year. Three, what the renewal looks like and what you need from us. Donal, thank you for joining, I know it is a busy time for finance.
- Donal CoughlanNo bother. I just want to be sure I have the right figures for the file, so I'll mostly listen and ask when I need to.
- Elena NovakThat is perfect. Lewis, would you like to begin with the contract?
- Lewis KerrYes. So, to put a number on it. You've been with us since 18 Sep 2025 on Starter, and the current term runs to 17 Sep 2026. The order form has the annual figure at £18,525, and the invoices match that, so nothing odd on our side. Donal, you'll have seen that.
- Donal CoughlanI have, yes. £18,525 on the order form and £18,525 invoiced. No overdue items on my side either.
- Lewis KerrGood, and that matches what I see. Now, the renewal itself. The renewal deal I have open for you is at £22,000. I'll send the written quote today with the VAT position stated on it, I don't want you relying on me reading it out.
- Cian O'LearyHang on. What's that cost again? Twenty-two? We're paying eighteen and a half now.
- Lewis KerrThat's right, Cian. The renewal is priced on our current list for Starter, and the figure you're paying now was set under the earlier pricing. So yes, it's an increase, and I'd rather say that plainly than have you find it in the paperwork.
- Cian O'LearyAn increase. Right. And what's in it for the consultants? Because I'll tell you now, I never sign without a conversation about the price.
- Elena NovakIf I may, Cian, I think that is the right question, and it is why I would like us to look at the usage first, before the price. Deirdre, may I ask you to describe how the consultants use it day to day?
- Deirdre BarryQuick answer, yeah. The consultants open a client and they see the roles, the placements and the invoices together. Before, it was three places and an inbox. Now they've got it in one page before they ring the client. That's the thing they like.
- Cian O'LearyAnd how many of them are on it? We've got fifteen licences, haven't we?
- Elena NovakYes, to confirm, you have fifteen licensed users. Looking at the last month, the number of people active in a typical week is around three or four, and that is steady compared with the previous quarter. So it is not falling, but it is also not growing.
- Cian O'LearyThree or four out of fifteen. That's not great, is it? I'm paying for fifteen.
- Deirdre BarryAh, now, Cian, be fair. It's the ones that do the client calls who use it most, and that's the same few people. The rest are on the recruiting side and they've not picked it up. That's on me, honestly. I've not had the time to sit with them.
- Lewis KerrI'd say, and I don't want to sound like I'm pushing, that I wouldn't suggest you change the size of anything on usage like that. The licences you have are enough. The question is whether the other consultants can be brought in, and that is Elena's side more than mine.
- Elena NovakAs agreed in earlier conversations, I will make sure that we offer a short training session for the consultants who have not yet started. Deirdre, I will write to you with two or three options, and you can choose what suits the team.
- Deirdre BarryGrand, that'd save us hours. Can the consultants see their own clients only, or all of them? One of them asked me that this morning.
- Elena NovakI would prefer to confirm that in writing rather than answer from memory, because it depends on how your permissions were set up. I will include it in the follow-up.
- Deirdre BarryThat's fair. I won't pretend I understand how it's set up, Aisling did most of it.
- Cian O'LearyOkay. Tickets. Anything I should worry about? Somebody told me there was a problem.
- Elena NovakThere were a couple of tickets in the last month, and one was marked high priority. Both are dealt with. I will attach the history to my summary so that you and Donal can see it. I do not see anything open that should concern you.
- Cian O'LearyGood. Right. Now the price. Lewis, give me something. Twenty-two is a jump for a team that's three or four people.
- Lewis KerrI understand. I'm not going to promise a number on a call, Cian, and I never quote from memory. What I'll do is go back and see what is possible on a renewal, and I'll come back to you in writing. What I can say is that the figure on the quote is the standard one, so any movement would need approval on our side.
- Cian O'LearyThat's fair enough. But I'm telling you, I want to see something. Even a small one. I don't like surprises, and neither does Donal.
- Donal CoughlanNo, I don't. Lewis, can I ask when you expect to have the answer? I need to plan the cash for September.
- Lewis KerrThe deal is currently set to close on 24 Aug 2026, so I'll aim to come back well before that. I'll confirm the exact day when I send the quote today.
- Donal CoughlanRight. And the invoice would be raised when? Around the renewal date, the 18th of September?
- Elena NovakTo confirm, the renewal date on our records is 18 Sep 2026. For the invoice timing I would prefer to check with our finance team before naming a date, so that I give you the right one. I will include it in the written actions.
- Donal CoughlanThat's fine. Thanks.
- Cian O'LearyRight, so, the headline. We're renewing, probably, subject to a better price, and Deirdre gets the other consultants trained. Is that it?
- Elena NovakThat is a fair summary, Cian. Let me list the actions, so that we all have them. One, Lewis sends the written quote today and returns on the price in writing. Two, I send Deirdre the training options and the answer on permissions. Three, I confirm the invoice timing with our finance team and send it to Donal. Four, Deirdre chooses a session for the consultants.
- Deirdre BarryGrand. I'll have a look when it comes in and pick the time that suits.
- Lewis KerrThank you all. I'll send that over today.
- Cian O'LearyGood man. Talk soon. And pray for us on Sunday.
- Elena NovakThank you, everyone. Kind regards, and I will write to you this afternoon.