Learn to negotiate better IT contracts
even when you don’t seem to have any leverage

Live training with me, online or in person.

WHAT YOU WILL GET FROM THIS WORKSHOP

Week 1 Essential Skills of the Elite Negotiator
  • Wearing Different Hats
  • Getting to the Back Table
  • Playing the Waiting Game
  • Leading and Following
  • Controlling Emotions
  • Understanding BATNA
  • Planning
Week 2 Rules of Technology Negotiations
  • Communicating with Stakeholders
  • Supplier Deadlines
  • Negotiating Maintenance Renewals
  • Acceptance Criteria
  • Meaningful SLAs
  • Implications of IP Infringement
  • Managing ISV’s
  • On-Premises vs. Cloud
Week 3 Negotiating Strategy (Part 1)
  • Collaborative Negotiation Strategy
  • Preparation: Defining your Team and your Requirements
  • Value Creation: Listening, Exchanging Ideas and Creating Options
Week 4 Negotiating Strategy (Part 2)
  • Value Distribution: Building Trust and Getting to the Back Table
  • Follow-Through: Dealing with Surprises, Governance and Escalation
  • Addressing Analytical, Psychological and Organizational Complexities
Week 5 How to Identify and Capture Cost Savings
  • Gathering Data
  • Analysis
  • Contract Review
Week 6 Negotiating T’s and C’s
  • Review sample contracts to identify opportunities to create leverage and mitigate risk when drafting/negotiating contracts
Week 7 Summary Review and Open Q&A

Frank from IT

Hey Procurement person

We’ve been talking with a new software company for a few months

didn’t bother to tell you about it

and now they’re offering us a great discount if we can get them a PO by the end of the week

So, can you get the contract signed and a PO out the door ASAP?

Sound familiar?

As a procurement professional, I’m sure you’ve gotten excluded from your fair share of IT contract negotiations or put under a strenuous timeline to get a deal signed.

How are you supposed to reduce costs and mitigate risks when you don’t have any leverage in the negotiation?

Here’s the thing: IT Contracts are different

  • Terms and Conditions matter

    Can you use an indemnity clause to get better terms on the contract? I routinely use the T’s&C’s section when negotiating with IT vendors to get better terms.

  • Internal politics are real

    Your IT department (and possibly others) often go behind your back to negotiate software deals. I can show you how to make this problem work for you, not against you.

  • Licensing changes on a nearly annual basis

    Instead of getting caught off-guard, I’ll show you how to use this to your advantage by understanding the different licensing models out there