Penmaen Software / BG-Demo – Renewal
Callcompleted
Penmaen Software · 4 Jun 2026 09:00
Second renewal call. Active users are just under ten of forty licences, up slightly. The team lead says the brain saves hours a week but gives no figure. Huw Bevan asked for options in writing, not a recommendation.
What was said
What this says
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026Second renewal call. Active users are just under ten of forty licences, up slightly. The team lead says the brain saves hours a week but gives no figure. Huw Bevan asked for options in writing, not a recommendation.
What happened: Marcus Bell reported active users just under ten, up slightly on the previous quarter. He had spoken to the team lead, who said the team would be back to spreadsheets without the brain.
Customer view: Huw Bevan wants a renewal that matches how the team uses it, but does not want to lose what the team lead described. Hours a week is not a number he can put to the board.
Commercial: Tom Ashdown restated Growth at £48k a year, matching the order form and invoices. He promised options in writing the following week and a confirmed paperwork figure.
Watch: Huw is expecting a smaller or cheaper option. The close is pencilled for 24 Jun 2026 and the contract runs to 24 Jul 2026.
Themes
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026Theme
Right-sizing the Growth renewal
Importance
renewal
Sentiment
mixed
Voice
decision-maker
Who was there
BG-Demo
CRMmade from
Them
CRMmade from
Follow-up
Next steps
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026- Marcus Bell to write up the team lead's comments in her words and refresh the usage numbers.
- Tom Ashdown to send renewal options in writing the following week and confirm the paperwork figure.
- Speak again with Huw Bevan once he has reviewed the options.
Risks
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026- The CFO wants to stop paying for forty licences when about a quarter are in use, so a downsize is likely.
- The team lead's benefit is described only as hours a week, which the board cannot be shown as a number.
- The close date and contract end are close, and the CFO says he will not rush.
Opportunities
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026- The team lead's own account of the brain in operator review prep is a usable value case.
- Active users rose slightly, and the questions asked do not depend on the licence count.
Transcript
Marcus BellMorning, Huw. Can you hear me? I think Tom's just joining.
Huw BevanGood morning, Marcus. I can hear you, yes.
Tom AshdownMorning both, sorry, sorry. Train wifi, would you believe, and I'm not even on a train. Long story. How are you, Huw?- Huw BevanWell, thank you. Busy, but well. Cardiff has decided to be sunny, which helps.
- Tom AshdownLovely. Right, you've got the usage page Marcus sent over, I take it?
- Huw BevanI have, and I read it. Before we go further, can I ask about adoption again? Where are we now compared with last time?
- Marcus BellSure. I'll share my screen. So, a touch better. The average number of active people over the last month is just under ten, and that's up slightly on the previous quarter. Small movement, I wouldn't oversell it, but it's the right direction.
- Huw BevanJust under ten, from forty licences.
- Marcus BellThat's right. The licence is forty and the people using it are a quarter of that, roughly. I'd rather say it plainly.
- Huw BevanThank you. I appreciate that you say it plainly. And did you speak to the team lead?
- Marcus BellI did, we had about half an hour. Very helpful. Her view was that the brain is part of how the team prepares for operator reviews now. They ask about ticket history and renewal dates before they go into a meeting. She said if it went away they'd be back to spreadsheets and that would take them a good deal longer.
- Huw BevanA good deal longer. Can she put a figure on it?
- Marcus BellNot a hard one, no. I asked. She said it was hours a week across the team, but she'd be guessing, and I didn't want to put words in her mouth.
- Huw BevanMm. Hours a week. That is not nothing, but it is not something I can put to the board as a number either.
- Tom AshdownFair. Can I come in on the commercial side, Huw? Because I think that's where this is going.
- Huw BevanPlease.
- Tom AshdownSo we're in the renewal now, properly. As things stand you're on Growth at £48,500 a year, which matches the order form and the invoices. I'm not going to pretend I know exactly what the renewal paperwork will say until I've checked it, so I'll confirm that in writing. But I wanted to ask you straight: what does a renewal look like that you'd be comfortable with?
- Huw BevanHonestly? One that matches how we use it. I don't want to pay for forty and use ten. But I also don't want to lose the thing the team lead described. What would we lose if we reduced it?
- Marcus BellIf I can answer the practical part. Nothing the current handful of people rely on, as far as I can tell. The questions they ask don't depend on the licence count. It's the connectors and the data that matter to them. But the tier decides what's included, so that's one for Tom.
- Tom AshdownYeah. And I'd want to be careful there, because I don't want to give you a number off the top of my head and then have to walk it back. What I can do is go away and look at what the options are for your size of team and come back with them in writing. No drama.
- Huw BevanI'd like that. Options, not a recommendation. Let me see what is possible, and then I'll take it to the board.
- Tom AshdownOptions, not a recommendation. Understood.
- Huw BevanAnd I'd say again, let's not rush. I know there is a date in your system.
- Tom AshdownThere is. 24 Jun 2026 is where we've got the close pencilled, and your contract runs to 24 Jul 2026. So there's room. But I'd like to have something in front of you well before the end of this month, if I can.
- Huw BevanNext week would be fine for sight of it. I would not decide on the strength of a call in any case.
- Tom AshdownNo, nor would I expect you to.
- Marcus BellOne more thing from me. Support. I've got one ticket from you in the last month, a small one, handled, and nothing high priority. So nothing's on fire there.
- Huw BevanGood. I wasn't aware of it, but I'm glad it's dealt with.
- Marcus BellHappy to jump on a call with the team lead again if it would help you pull the case together. I can write up what she said so you've got it in her words.
- Huw BevanYes, please do. In her words, not yours. That's more use to me.
- Marcus BellOf course. I'll send that across with the usage page, updated.
- Tom AshdownSo to pull it together. Marcus writes up the team lead's comments and refreshes the usage numbers. I come back to you next week with the options in writing, and I confirm the paperwork figure at the same time. Then we speak again once you've had a look. Sound right?
- Huw BevanThat sounds right. Thank you both.
- Tom AshdownCheers, Huw. Speak soon.
- Marcus BellThanks, Huw. Bye for now.
- Huw BevanGoodbye.
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