How We Work

We operate on two engagement models designed to align our incentives directly with your commercial success. Fixed fee for defined scope engagements. Gain share at 30% of verified savings for open-ended negotiations. Both models prioritise your independence, your results, and your long-term vendor relationships.

Operating Principles

Buyer-Side Only

We advise buyers exclusively. We have never worked for vendors and never will. We don't take vendor referral fees, consulting fees, or any form of vendor-side engagement. Our entire business model depends on delivering results for our clients, not vendors.

Evidence-Based Negotiation

Every negotiation position we take is backed by commercial intelligence, historical market data, and vendor internal knowledge. We never ask for concessions without understanding the vendor's commercial constraints and what actually moves the needle in their decision-making.

Absolute Confidentiality

Your contract details, negotiation strategy, internal challenges, and final outcomes remain entirely confidential. We never use client information for competitive advantage or reference without explicit permission. Your vendors never learn how we achieved the result.

Two Structures, One Goal: Your Success

Model 1

Fixed Fee

When We Use This
Defined scope negotiations (renewal only, audit defence, specific licensing question), advisory-only engagements, or situations where the outcome is uncertain but the scope is clear.
The Model
Agreed fixed fee based on engagement complexity, timeline, and scope. Predictable cost. Clear deliverables. Defined timeline. You know exactly what you're paying and what you'll receive.
Fee Range
Scoped to engagement complexity. Small audits or advisory: £15K–£35K. Medium renewals: £35K–£75K. Large negotiations: £75K–£150K+. Discussed and agreed before engagement begins.
Model 2 — Preferred

Gain Share (30%)

How It Works
Our fee = 30% of verified savings delivered versus the vendor's last renewal proposal or current contract baseline. If we don't save you money, you don't pay. If we save £4M, our fee is £1.2M. You net £2.8M ahead.
Why This Model
Incentive alignment. We only get paid if you save money. The better we negotiate, the more you save AND the more we earn. We're invested in maximising your outcome, not just completing the engagement.
No Cure, No Pay
If negotiations fail or you decide not to sign a new agreement, we don't take a fee. This eliminates our incentive to push you toward an unfavourable deal just to "close" the engagement.

How Savings Are Verified

Savings are always calculated against a documented baseline: either the vendor's final renewal proposal or your current annual contract value. We define the baseline and measurement methodology in writing before engagement begins. At contract signing, we compare the final agreement cost to the baseline to calculate verified savings.

The Baseline

We establish a clear financial baseline before negotiation begins. This is typically the vendor's renewal proposal, your current annual spend, or a documented forecast. Agreed in writing with you and often shared with the vendor's deal team so there's no ambiguity later.

The Measurement

Savings = (Baseline Cost) – (Signed Agreement Cost), calculated over the term of the new agreement and annualised. If you negotiate a 3-year agreement with 10% annual cost reduction, the savings are measured across all 3 years and amortised for our fee calculation.

The Verification

We compare the final signed agreement to the documented baseline and calculate verified savings. Disputed items are resolved through independent review. Savings are only counted if they're documented in the signed contract.

The Typical Timeline

Week 1: Discovery Call

Initial briefing (free, confidential)

We understand your current contract, cost structure, vendor relationship, and commercial priorities. This call helps us determine whether we're the right fit and what engagement model makes sense.

Week 2–3: Intelligence Briefing

Vendor-specific analysis and market positioning

We brief you on your vendor's commercial strategy, pricing authority structure, typical renewal patterns for your industry/scale, and your estimated negotiation leverage. This briefing alone often surfaces 10–20% cost reduction opportunity.

Week 4–5: Engagement Proposal

Formal proposal with projected savings range

We propose a formal engagement structure, timeline, and a specific range of projected savings based on our analysis. This proposal includes our fee structure, payment terms, and what we'll deliver.

Week 6–19: Active Negotiation

Structured negotiation cycle (typically 6–14 weeks)

We engage with your vendor's commercial team, advance your negotiating position, identify financial and contractual flexibility, and drive toward a signed agreement. You remain in control; we advise strategy and manage the vendor relationship.

Week 20: Signed Agreement

Contract execution and savings verification

We compare the final signed agreement to your baseline, calculate verified savings, and confirm our fee. If we've exceeded projected savings, the additional benefit flows to you in full.

Clear Boundaries

Vendor-Side Work

We have never consulted for vendors. We will not advise vendors on how to negotiate against you. This creates a clear conflict and undermines our buyer-side credibility.

Referral Fees

We don't take referral fees from vendors for sending them business. We won't recommend a migration or vendor switch unless it genuinely delivers better economics than renegotiation.

RFP Participation

We don't participate in RFPs for vendors we negotiate against. This could create perverse incentives to recommend switching when negotiation might be better.

Start a Conversation

The discovery call is free and confidential. We'll help you understand whether we're the right fit, which engagement model makes sense, and what realistic cost reduction looks like in your specific situation. No obligation. Response within 24 hours.

Request Discovery Call

Free. Confidential. Response within 24 hours.

Vendor Negotiation Intelligence

Monthly briefings on enterprise software vendor pricing strategy, commercial tactics, and negotiation insights from our network of former vendor executives.