Shows
Insights for IT NegotiationsHow Strong SLA Frameworks Drive Better MSP PerformanceMany organizations still focus heavily on SLA metrics like uptime and ticket closure rates, but those metrics alone do not create strong governance or long-term value. In this episode of Insights for IT Negotiations, Kylie Chisholm is joined by UpperEdge managed services experts Greg Hall and Ally Kuppens to discuss why the structure behind SLAs is often more important than the metrics themselves.The conversation explores how modern SLA frameworks support flexibility over long-term managed services agreements, allowing organizations to adapt as business priorities change. Greg and Ally walk through the four core components of an effective...
2025-12-2228 minInsights for IT NegotiationsSalesforce Foundations: The “Free” Offer That Can Be Very CostlySalesforce is pushing Salesforce Foundations and Data 360 provisioning hard as “no-cost” offers — but the real story starts once you hit usage limits. In this video, Adam Mansfield breaks down what’s actually included, why Salesforce cares so much about getting this into your order form, and how you can protect your budget.You’ll learn:What comes with Salesforce Foundations (Einstein requests, Agentforce flex credits, Data 360 segmentation & activation)How “$0” offers give Salesforce leverage and let them report wins the moment you signWhy you must ensure your Order Forms have complete transparency and definitions: conversations, Einstein requests, flex credits...
2025-11-1805 minInsights for IT NegotiationsServiceNow Impact: How to Push Back, Cut Costs, and Protect Your RenewalMany ServiceNow customers are being told Impact is “mandatory” to win discounts or concessions—especially around year-end renewals. In this video, Adam Mansfield explains how to negotiate lower Impact percentages, lock protections for the full term, preserve your right to drop Impact at renewal, and tie lower Impact costs to better underlying product pricing and AI/Now Assist packs. Learn how to hold the line and structure a deal on your terms.For more innovative IT sourcing and risk mitigation insights, subscribe to the UpperEdge newsletter and follow UpperEdge on LinkedIn and Twitter.
2025-11-1206 minInsights for IT NegotiationsFrom Risk to Reward: How SaskPower Achieved a Smooth S/4HANA Go-Live with Jesse WebbIn this episode of Insights for IT Negotiations, hosts John Belden and Kylie Chisholm sit down with Jesse Webb, IT Director at SaskPower, to explore the story behind the utility’s highly successful SAP S/4HANA transformation.Jesse shares the lessons learned from SaskPower’s multi-year modernization journey, from managing vendor costs and internal resource capacity to building a cohesive cross-functional team that ensured go-live readiness. She reveals how deliberate planning, risk mitigation, and strong collaboration between IT, business, and implementation partners helped the organization overcome early project hurdles and achieve a seamless go-live weekend.Tune...
2025-11-0630 minInsights for IT NegotiationsMicrosoft FY26 Q1 Earnings: Clear Objectives Customers Need to Be Aware OfIn this video, Adam dives into Microsoft’s FY26 Q1 earnings report, which exceeded expectations with strong revenue growth and significant advancements in their commercial and cloud sectors. He discusses the importance of strategic planning for renewals, especially given Microsoft’s impressive Cloud Revenue, and clear objectives Microsoft has made publicly known (including expanding ARPU through E5 adoption and Microsoft 365 Copilot expansion). Listen to Adam break down the numbers and provide insights on how to leverage this information for your business strategies.For more innovative IT sourcing and risk mitigation insights, subscribe to the UpperEdge newsletter and follow...
2025-11-0308 minInsights for IT NegotiationsServiceNow Q3 FY25 Earnings: AI Growth, CRM Jabs and Reliance on Consumption Based PricingAdam breaks down ServiceNow’s Q3 FY25 earnings call, highlighting 22% revenue growth, strong subscription performance, and a bold AI roadmap.With Now Assist and Pro Plus deals gaining traction, and CRM commentary heating up between McDermott and Benioff (Salesforce, CEO), this episode is a must-watch for customers preparing for ServiceNow renewals or considering in-term upgrades and purchases.Key Highlights:$3.29B Subscription Revenue, beating expectations and higher than prior guidanceAI revenue targets: $500M in FY25, $1B in FY26553 customers spending $5M+ annuallyCRM rivalry: ServiceNow vs SalesforceStrategic advice for how best to prepare for your upcoming Se...
2025-10-3107 minInsights for IT NegotiationsDreamforce 2025: Salesforce’s AI Push, AELA Explained, and What It Means for Your RenewalsIn this episode of Insights for IT Negotiations, host Kylie Chisholm is joined by Adam Mansfield, UpperEdge’s Salesforce Practice Leader, to unpack everything from Dreamforce 2025. They dive into how Salesforce’s Agentic Enterprise Licensing Agreement (AELA) is reshaping enterprise licensing, the emphasis on AI and “Agentforce,” and what all this means for you as a Salesforce customer approaching renewal.Listeners will learn how to:Strategically prepare for upcoming renewals and negotiationsPush back on unwanted AI add-ons and licensing changesAlign internal stakeholder messaging and evaluate new value propositionsUnderstand the real implications of Dreamforce-announced products and pricingIf you’...
2025-10-3119 minInsights for IT NegotiationsSalesforce’s New Agentic Enterprise Licensing Agreement (AELA) – What Customers Need to KnowDuring Dreamforce, Salesforce announced a new “unlimited” Agentic Enterprise Licensing Agreement (AELA) that promises unlimited use and simplicity at a set (and predictable) flat fee. But without proper transparency or post-term protections, Salesforce customers could be in for a world of hurt at the renewal time.In this quick take video, Adam breaks down what products are the focus (Agentforce, Data 360, MuleSoft, Slack, etc.) along with what is driving Salesforce’s goal of pushing customers into this agreement type. He will also share his tips on what Salesforce customers need to do and ensure Salesforce provides before any co...
2025-10-2007 minInsights for IT NegotiationsNavigating Salesforce Renewals and the Reality Behind “Agentforce”In this episode of Insights for IT Negotiations, host Kylie Chisholm talks with Adam Mansfield, UpperEdge’s Salesforce Practice Advisory Leader, about how customers can successfully prepare for upcoming Salesforce renewals.Adam discusses why many organizations are frustrated with Salesforce’s current direction, particularly its heavy focus on Agentforce and AI, while overlooking existing customer needs and product value. He explains what this means for enterprise buyers and how they can strengthen their negotiation position.Listeners will learn how to:Approach renewals and upcoming negotiations strategicallyPush back on unwanted AI add-onsAlign internal teams for cons...
2025-10-0720 minInsights for IT NegotiationsSaaS Vendors’ New Trick: Multiplying Pricing Caps by Term LengthSaaS vendors are sliding a nasty detail into SaaS renewal term price protections: taking a “3–5% cap” and multiplying it by the number of years in your next term (e.g., 3% × 3-year = 9%). That’s not a cap—that’s compounding pain. Adam shows how to spot it, why it’s spreading, and exactly how to push back.Key takeawaysThere needs to be a cap on the increase a SaaS vendor can apply to your pricing at renewalA price increase should happen one-time at renewalPrice increases at renewal should not go up with more term commitmentMake this a front-of-funnel pric...
2025-10-0205 minInsights for IT NegotiationsHow Much Does M365 Copilot Really Cost (or Should Cost)?Most buyers anchor on “$30/user/month” for Microsoft 365 Copilot—but that’s not the real price. The right move is to negotiate the total cost by tying Copilot to your underlying Microsoft 365 E3/E5 pricing, then secure renewal protections so Microsoft can’t claw it back later. Key plays you can use:Treat “M365 E3/E5 + M365 Copilot” as one subscription and pricePush back on minimums and volume assumptions;Get ahead of Nov 1st price/discount changes on E3/E5 before advancing Microsoft 365 Copilot discussionsValidate actual M365 E3/E5 usage to build a fact-based story and leverageLock in future pricing protecti...
2025-09-2404 minInsights for IT NegotiationsSalesforce Q2 FY26 Earnings: Agentforce Hype vs. RealityIn this breakdown, Adam Mansfield unpacks Salesforce’s Q2 FY26 results and the bigger story: Agentforce and Data Cloud’s consumption model. He highlights what Salesforce shared—and what they didn’t—so you can be fully prepared as you head into upcoming renewal negotiations and even your Dreamforce attendance.Key Takeaways:Revenue: $10.2B (+10%)Subscription and Support Revenue: $9.7B (+11%)12.5k Agentforce customers since launch but only 6k are paying60% growth Q-o-Q in customers going from Agentforce pilot to productionDid not provide an updated Agentforce ARR – why?Expect single digit (8.5 – 9%) full year FY26 Total revenue growthBottom line: S...
2025-09-0806 minInsights for IT NegotiationsRenewal Pricing Tied to Real Usage?SaaS vendors often push programmatic renewal price increases—whether you used the product’s features (new or existing) or not. Here’s a fairer, customer-focused approach: only permit price hikes at renewal when (1) the SaaS vendor enhanced the production being subscribed to since your last renewal and (2) you’re actually using those enhancements. That aligns spend to delivered value and incentivizes vendors add enhancements of value and put in effort to help drive adoption.Key pointsRenewal price increase caps (3–5%, even 0%) are helpful but programmatic and often are littered with conditionsA better standard: tie any increase to verifia...
2025-08-2904 minInsights for IT NegotiationsMicrosoft Eliminates EA Volume Discounts: What It Means for Enterprise CustomersIn this episode of Insights for IT Negotiations, UpperEdge’s Adam Mansfield joins to break down Microsoft’s recent announcement to eliminate Enterprise Agreement (EA) volume discounts starting November 1st. Adam explains what this change means for enterprise customers, how executives are reacting, and the strategies organizations can use to prepare. From executive-level conversations to utilization analysis, alternative solutions, and the role of Cloud Solution Providers (CSPs), this discussion provides practical guidance for navigating Microsoft’s evolving pricing model.Resources:UPCOMING WEBINAR - Breaking the Microsoft Mold: How to Negotiate on Your TermsBLOG - Mi...
2025-08-2824 minInsights for IT NegotiationsSalesforce’s New Agentforce Pricing Plans: All About Getting You to Start UsingIn this episode, Adam Mansfield, Salesforce Practice Leader at UpperEdge and industry expect, explains what the new Pay-As-You-Go and Pre-Commit, and Pre-Purchase pricing models mean for enterprise customers and why Salesforce is providing them.Key takeaways and what will be covered:Breakdown of all three Agentforce pricing options: Pre-Purchase, Pay-As-You-Go, and Pre-CommitWhat EVP of Corporate Strategy, Bill Patterson’s public comments really signal about internal Salesforce priorities and current Agentforce adoptionHow to use this moment of leverage to negotiate better terms, definitions, and future flexibilityFor more innovative IT sourcing and risk mi...
2025-08-2206 minInsights for IT NegotiationsMicrosoft Ends EA Volume Discounts – What It Means for YouEffective November 1, 2025, Microsoft will eliminate EA volume-based discounts for online services like Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365. Adam Mansfield, Microsoft Practice Leader at UpperEdge, breaks down the impact, why Microsoft is making this change, and how enterprise customers can push back. Learn how this move ties to Microsoft’s motivation to accelerate ARPU growth, increased product adoption and upgrades (Microsoft 365 Copilot, E5), and shift more customers towards an MCA-E or CSP contracting model—and what actions need to be take right now.For more innovative IT sourcing and risk mitigation insights, subscribe to the UpperEdge newsletter and follow UpperEdge on Linked...
2025-08-1309 minInsights for IT NegotiationsMicrosoft FY25 Q4 Earnings: Beat Expectations driven by Azure Growth and Copilot AdoptionMicrosoft closed FY25 with strong revenue growth, fueled by Copilot adoption, E5 momentum, and Azure’s breakout 39% growth. Adam Mansfield, Microsoft Practice Leader at UpperEdge, breaks down the key takeaways from the earnings call, including what the numbers mean for enterprise customers with upcoming renewals or considering in-term purchases. Learn how Microsoft’s focus on moving customers to E5, AI (M365 Copilot, GitHub Copilot, Copilot Studio…etc.) will shape pricing, commitments, and negotiation leverage in the year ahead. For more innovative IT sourcing and risk mitigation insights, subscribe to the UpperEdge newsletter and follow UpperEdge on LinkedIn...
2025-08-0408 minInsights for IT NegotiationsSalesforce Pricing Shifts, AgentForce, and Slack: What Customers Need to Know Before DreamforceSalesforce is making bold changes that every customer needs to pay attention to. In this episode of Insights for IT Negotiations, UpperEdge’s Adam Mansfield joins Kylie Chisholm to unpack the upcoming 6% price increase, the evolving AgentForce pricing models, and Slack’s shift toward higher-cost enterprise editions.They explore what’s really driving these updates, how they impact your current agreements, and what actions you should take now to maintain leverage, especially with Dreamforce around the corner.Key Topics:Why Salesforce is raising prices and how customers are reactingWhat to know about AgentForce pricing models...
2025-07-1026 minInsights for IT NegotiationsSalesforce Announces August Price Hike & New AgentForce and Slack Plans: Here’s What You Must Do NowSalesforce just announced a 6% price increase effective August 1st (20% for Slack Business+), alongside new Agentforce and Slack plans. This includes a staggering $125/user/month Agentforce add-on and an Agenforce 1 Edition for $550/user/month.In this episode, Adam Mansfield, Salesforce Practice Leader at UpperEdge, breaks down the real strategy behind these moves and what Salesforce customers must do now to prepare before they get locked into higher costs without the right protections.Key Takeaways:What’s really behind the Salesforce product (sales, service, field service and industry) and Slack price increasesWhat comes with the Agentforce add-o...
2025-06-2305 minInsights for IT NegotiationsAI-Fueled Cloud Lock-In: Why Escaping Your Vendor Just Got HarderIn this episode of Insights for IT Negotiations, UpperEdge’s Adam Mansfield joins Kylie Chisholm to unpack the evolving reality of vendor lock-in in the cloud era and how AI is deepening that entrenchment. From the long-standing SaaS model to today’s rapidly spreading AI offerings from Microsoft, Salesforce, and others, organizations are finding themselves more tightly bound to vendors than ever before. But does that mean you're powerless? Hardly. Learn actionable strategies to mitigate the risks of cloud and AI lock-in, reframe your negotiation mindset, and hold vendors accountable for delivering long-term value.Resources:BLOG...
2025-06-1923 minInsights for IT NegotiationsOracle’s FY25 Boom: AI, Cloud, and What It Means for CustomersJeff Lazarto, Oracle Practice Leader at UpperEdge, breaks down Oracle’s explosive FY25 earnings, the role of AI in their growth, and strategic guidance for existing and prospective Oracle customers. From cloud infrastructure to database demand and Oracle’s aggressive sales posture, this episode unpacks what buyers need to know now to negotiate smartly and plan for the future.For more innovative IT sourcing and risk mitigation insights, subscribe to the UpperEdge newsletter and follow UpperEdge on LinkedIn and Twitter.
2025-06-1706 minInsights for IT NegotiationsIs This Company Really Going to Make a 1 Million-Seat Microsoft 365 Copilot Commitment?Microsoft’s mega deal is raising big questions. A report suggests Microsoft is working on a 1 million-seat Microsoft 365 Copilot deal, but what does that actually mean for customers?In this episode, Adam Mansfield, Advisory Practice Leader at UpperEdge, dissects the potential Microsoft 365 Copilot mega-deal and raises critical questions about possible and likely “over licensing,” the adequacy of discounting and pricing protections, and the potential shift toward consumption-based pricing.If you’re evaluating Microsoft’s AI offering “Microsoft 365Copilot,” to any degree and magnitude, this is a must-watch.Are all 1M seats paid? Will they be used?Did th...
2025-06-1204 minInsights for IT NegotiationsIs Microsoft 365 E7 Coming and Will it Include Microsoft 365 Copilot?There has been speculation that Microsoft is going to one day introduce a Microsoft 365 E7 plan. Adam Mansfield, Advisory Practice Leader at UpperEdge, shares his take on whether Microsoft 365 E7 is coming and why customers shouldn’t wait around for it. He breaks down the math behind M365 E3, M365 E5, and M365 Copilot pricing, the pitfalls of bundling, and why now is the time to focus on getting the right protections, flexibility, and pricing for your current Microsoft stack.In this episode, learn:Why Microsoft might roll out an Microsoft 365 E7Whether M365 Copilot would be...
2025-06-0604 minInsights for IT NegotiationsHow One Oracle Deal Delivered $11M in Savings: A Strategic Sourcing Case StudyIn this episode of Insights for IT Negotiations, Jeff Lazarto and Shane Griffin pull back the curtain on a recent Oracle ERP transformation engagement. They share how a client secured over $11 million in savings and achieved long-term pricing protections without turning negotiations adversarial. Tune in to learn how UpperEdge’s relationship-based approach, proven negotiation strategy, and commercial term frameworks enabled an impactful outcome, and what other organizations can take away as they evaluate enterprise applications like Oracle and Workday.Resources:Oracle Audit ServicesPODCAST - Mastering Oracle Negotiations: Insights from UpperEdge’s Expert Advi...
2025-06-0412 minInsights for IT NegotiationsSalesforce Q1 FY26 Earnings: What AI (AgentForce), Data Cloud & Informatica Mean for CustomersSalesforce just released its Q1 FY26 earnings, and it’s clear: Agentforce (Salesforce’s AI offering), and Data Cloud are at the heart of its future growth strategy. In this episode, Adam Mansfield, Advisory Practice Leader at UpperEdge, unpacks the financials and the implications for current and future Salesforce customers.From 8000 Agentforce customers (1/2 paying customers) to CEO, Marc Benioff’s vision to make all customers AI + DATA + CRM” customers, Adam explains what you need to do now to lock down pricing, define terms, and protect against the coming consumption push.Highlights include:The real reason behind Sal...
2025-05-3009 minInsights for IT NegotiationsServiceNow’s $1B AI Plan: What It Means for CustomersIn this episode, Adam Mansfield, Advisory Practice Leader at UpperEdge, analyzes key messages from ServiceNow’s recent Financial Analyst Day and what has been revealed to ServiceNow customers, including ServiceNow’s clear focus on accelerating AI revenue growth and getting customers to upgrade. He also discusses what that means for customers moving forward.ServiceNow is aiming to grow its AI-related revenue from $250M to $1B by FY26, largely by pushing customers to upgrade to Pro Plus (Pro+) through “low cost” starter packs, steep uplifts, and vendor friendly hybrid pricing models that include a consumption based pricing component.Adam ou...
2025-05-1606 minInsights for IT NegotiationsWhy the Right TPA Is Your Competitive Edge in the Age of AIAs vendors like Microsoft and Accenture leverage AI to gain an edge in IT negotiations, enterprise buyers risk falling behind. In this episode, UpperEdge CEO David Blake joins hosts John Belden and Kylie Chisholm to discuss the evolving role of the third-party advisor (TPA) and why independence, intelligence, and strategy matter more than ever.Learn why relying solely on benchmarks is no longer enough, how AI is changing the sourcing landscape, and what a modern TPA must deliver to help you structure high-value, high-stakes IT relationships. If you’re managing critical supplier deals, this is a must-listen....
2025-05-1528 minInsights for IT NegotiationsKnowledge 2025 Recap: ServiceNow’s AI and CRM Push—What Customers Really WantFresh from Knowledge 2025, ServiceNow’s annual conference in Las Vegas, Adam Mansfield, Advisory Practice Leader at UpperEdge, shares his takeaways from the event, including customer sentiment and concerns, as well as his perspective on ServiceNow’s aggressive pivot toward AI and CRM.While the ServiceNow keynote showcased big ambitions around becoming an AI and CRM leader, drawing comparisons to Salesforce, Adam reveals what customers are actually asking for: continued investment in core platforms like ITSM, ITOM, SAM, HRSD without the need for “AI enhancement.”In this episode:What Bill McDermott didn’t say, but e...
2025-05-0806 minInsights for IT NegotiationsMicrosoft Earnings Reveal Strategy Shift: What Customers Must Know Before RenewalsIn this episode, Adam Mansfield, Advisory Practice Leader at UpperEdge, unpacks key takeaways from Microsoft’s FY25 Q3 earnings and what they really mean for enterprise customers heading into negotiations.From Copilot adoption trends and RPO growth to margin pressure and pricing tactics, Adam explains how Microsoft is positioning itself and why even a small Copilot purchase can be a major win for them.Learn how to use this insight to:Counter Copilot pricing pressureLeverage Azure and D365 growth for better dealsPrepare your negotiation across all Microsoft touch-points (including LinkedIn, Support, and Devices)Get ahe...
2025-05-0608 minInsights for IT NegotiationsSaaS Vendor Frustrations: Price Hikes, AI Pushes & Finding LeverageIn this episode of Insights for IT Negotiations, UpperEdge’s Adam Mansfield and Kylie Chisholm have a candid conversation on the mounting frustrations enterprise customers face with major SaaS vendors like Microsoft, Salesforce, and ServiceNow. From relentless AI upsells to opaque consumption-based pricing and universal cost increases, Adam breaks down what’s grinding customers’ gears—and more importantly, what they can do about it. Learn how to proactively set expectations, disrupt vendor playbooks, and regain leverage in a rapidly shifting IT landscape.Resources:Reach out to Adam on LinkedInBLOG – How ServiceNow Customers Can Get the...
2025-05-0129 minInsights for IT NegotiationsServiceNow’s Q1 FY25 Earnings: What Customers Must Prepare ForServiceNow just posted strong Q1 FY25 earnings—and raised its full-year guidance. But what does that mean for customers facing renewals or being pushed into early AI (Pro Plus upgrade) and CRM expansions? Adam Mansfield, ServiceNow Practice Leader at UpperEdge, breaks down the results, what ServiceNow executives had to say during the earnings call, and how customers can proactively prepare for ServiceNow’s next moves.Key Takeaways:ServiceNow Q1 resultsWhat’s driving Pro Plus and CRM focusHow customers should respond to upcoming pressures ServiceNow will createTips for planning for in-term and/or renewal negotiationsFor more i...
2025-04-2509 minInsights for IT NegotiationsSaaS Flexibility: A Promise That Was Never FulfilledIn this candid session, Adam Mansfield, Advisory Practice Leader at UpperEdge, challenges the long-held promise of SaaS flexibility. Drawing from real-world client conversations in 2025, he exposes the disconnect between vendor (Salesforce, ServiceNow, Microsoft…etc.) sales pitches and the contractual realities. Learn what you can do to effectively approach SaaS vendors to drive positive change, and how to negotiate like a pro in today’s world. Topics Covered:The false promise of SaaS flexibilityReal-life client pain pointsHow to negotiate more flexible and favorable contractsBuilding true vendor partnershipsFor more innovative IT sourcing and risk mitigation insi...
2025-04-2306 minInsights for IT NegotiationsServiceNow Knowledge 2025: How IT Leaders Can Turn the Conference into a Strategic AdvantageHeading to ServiceNow Knowledge? Don’t just show up—show up with a strategy. In this episode of Insights for IT Negotiations, UpperEdge’s ServiceNow expert, Adam Mansfield, shares critical guidance for IT leaders on how to extract real value from the event.Whether you're planning to evaluate Now Assist, expand into Pro Plus, or simply optimize your existing ServiceNow footprint, this episode delivers actionable advice on how to:Navigate the AI and CRM buzz to your benefitBuild internal alignment ahead of the conferenceCreate negotiation leverage before you land in VegasSet expectations with your account reps and im...
2025-04-2225 minInsights for IT NegotiationsThe Hidden Traps in SaaS Renewals: What Vendors Don’t Want You to KnowIn this episode, Adam Mansfield, Advisory Practice Leader at UpperEdge, breaks down the fine print pitfalls in SaaS renewal negotiations with vendors like Salesforce, ServiceNow, and Microsoft. He shares real-world insights from ongoing client conversations and highlights three major conditions that can quietly undermine your renewal protections—impacting pricing caps, product flexibility, and spend thresholds. Whether you’re a CIO, procurement leader, or IT decision-maker, this is a must-watch to avoid costly mistakes during your next software renewal. Don’t get caught off guard—learn what conditions to push back on and how to structure smarter renewals.For more...
2025-04-1105 minInsights for IT NegotiationsNavigating Salesforce’s Success and Security Offerings’ Licensing MetricsIn this episode, Adam Mansfield, Salesforce Advisory Practice Leader at UpperEdge, breaks down the complexities of Salesforce's Success Plans (Premier and Signature Success and Security offerings (Shield). He explains how the “percentage-of-net” licensing metric tied to these products can dramatically impact your spend, and offers actionable strategies for evaluating, negotiating, and optimizing your investments. Whether you're on Premier or Signature Success, or leveraging Shield's security tools (or any of the components), this is essential guidance for customers preparing for renewals or in-term add-ons. Learn how to get the most out of what you’re paying for—and avoid unnecessary costs.
2025-04-1007 minInsights for IT NegotiationsServiceNow Acquires Logik.ai: A Bold Move into the CRM BattlefieldAdam Mansfield, Practice Leader at UpperEdge, breaks down ServiceNow’s latest acquisition of Logik.ai—an AI-powered CPQ solution—and what it means for ServiceNow and Salesforce customers and the CRM market. With this move, ServiceNow doubles down on its ambitions to move deeper into the CRM market and better compete against now rival Salesforce with what they are pitching as a “fundamentally different vision and approach to CRM and CPQ.For more innovative IT sourcing and risk mitigation insights, subscribe to the UpperEdge newsletter and follow UpperEdge on LinkedIn and Twitter.
2025-04-0806 minInsights for IT NegotiationsBridging Talent Deserts & IT Project Success with GenAI – A Conversation with Marc KermischIn this episode of Insights for IT Negotiations, UpperEdge’s Chief Research Officer, John Belden, sits down with Marc Kermisch to explore the critical challenges of talent deserts, why IT projects fail, and how Generative AI is reshaping the way organizations approach innovation. Marc shares insights from his experience at Emergent Software, discussing cutting-edge solutions and strategies that can drive success in an ever-evolving digital landscape. Tune in for expert perspectives on transforming talent gaps into opportunities and leveraging GenAI for smarter, more resilient projects.Resources:Connect with Marc on LinkedIn: Marc KermischBLO...
2025-04-0341 minInsights for IT NegotiationsMicrosoft Copilot Studio: Negotiation Tips Customers Need to KnowAdam Mansfield, UpperEdge’s Microsoft Advisory Practice Leader, dives into Microsoft Copilot Studio—its significance to Microsoft, how it is priced, its licensing model, and how Microsoft customers should approach negotiations. Learn why usage definitions matter, how to optimize your contract, and the key factors to consider before adopting (and using) Copilot Studio. If you’re exploring Microsoft Copilot Studio, this episode is a must-listen!For more innovative IT sourcing and risk mitigation insights, subscribe to the UpperEdge newsletter and follow UpperEdge on LinkedIn and Twitter.
2025-03-3106 minInsights for IT NegotiationsOne of the Hidden Traps in Enterprise SaaS Contracts – What You Need to Know!Are you truly getting the flexibility you need from your enterprise SaaS vendor (Salesforce, ServiceNow, Microsoft etc.) and are your contracts set up well to provide it? Adam Mansfield, UpperEdge’s Practice Leader, dives into the critical issues surrounding flexibility in SaaS agreements and shares his thoughts on how customers can fix the likely issues that exist.For more innovative IT sourcing and risk mitigation insights, subscribe to the UpperEdge newsletter and follow UpperEdge on LinkedIn and Twitter.
2025-03-2509 minInsights for IT NegotiationsMicrosoft’s Price Hikes: What It Means for Your Business and How to RespondMicrosoft is significantly increasing Power BI and Teams Phone pricing starting April 1st. Adam Mansfield, UpperEdge’s Microsoft Advisory Practice Leader, breaks down the justifications given, the hidden motivations behind these changes, and what Microsoft customers can do to navigate the price hikes effectively. Learn how to turn Microsoft’s tactics to your advantage, optimize value assessments, and leverage alternative solutions in your negotiations.For more innovative IT sourcing and risk mitigation insights, subscribe to the UpperEdge newsletter and follow UpperEdge on LinkedIn and Twitter.
2025-03-2407 minInsights for IT NegotiationsMastering SaaS Negotiations: Key Strategies for IT LeadersIn this episode of Insights for IT Negotiations, hosts Adam Mansfield and Kylie Chisholm dive into the evolving landscape of SaaS negotiations. They discuss how vendors are responding to market changes, the key considerations for IT decision-makers, and strategies to maximize value in software agreements. Tune in to gain expert insights and practical advice to navigate your next SaaS contract successfully. Plus, don’t miss the latest updates on consumption-based pricing and essential negotiation benchmarks.Resources:BLOG – SaaS Vendors Push Consumption-Based Licensing for AI Offerings: What Customers Need to KnowPODCAST – Navigating SaaS Pricing...
2025-03-2028 minInsights for IT NegotiationsSalesforce vs. ServiceNow: The Battle for CRM & ITSM DominanceThe CRM and ITSM battleground is heating up! Salesforce and ServiceNow are stepping into each other's territories, creating opportunities for strategic moves. In this video,Adam Mansfield, UpperEdge's Salesforce Advisory Practice Leader, breaks down the latest developments, key insights from recent earnings calls, and how customers can leverage this rivalry to their advantage. Learn how to challengeyour reps, ask the right questions, and maximize your value in this evolving landscape.For more innovative IT sourcing and risk mitigation insights, subscribe to the UpperEdge newsletter and follow UpperEdge on LinkedIn and Twitter.
2025-03-1907 minInsights for IT NegotiationsMaster Your Microsoft Renewal: Timing and Strategy InsightsAdam Mansfield, UpperEdge’s Microsoft Advisory Practice Leader, shares valuable insights on when and how to prepare for Microsoft renewals. He outlines key questions to consider, strategic timelines, and effective negotiation tactics to secure the best deal. Whether your renewal is months away or fast approaching, Adam’s advice can help you maximize value and minimize risk.For more innovative IT sourcing and risk mitigation insights, subscribe to the UpperEdge newsletter and follow UpperEdge on LinkedIn and Twitter.
2025-03-1307 minInsights for IT NegotiationsServiceNow’s Biggest Acquisition Yet: $2.85B Move to Expand Agentic AI, CRM & SearchServiceNow just announced its largest acquisition ever — a $2.85 billion purchase of Moveworks. This strategic move doubles down on AI and enterprise search capabilities, aiming to expand ServiceNow’s footprint in CRM and customer insights. What does this mean for customers and the future of ServiceNow’s offerings? Adam Mansfield, UpperEdge’s ServiceNow Practice Leader, breaks it all down.For more innovative IT sourcing and risk mitigation insights, subscribe to the UpperEdge newsletter and follow UpperEdge on LinkedIn and Twitter.
2025-03-1106 minInsights for IT NegotiationsMastering Microsoft Renewals: Strategies for Smarter NegotiationsIn this episode of Insights for IT Negotiations, host Kylie Chisholm is joined by Adam Mansfield, UpperEdge’s Microsoft, ServiceNow, and Salesforce Practice Leader, to discuss how organizations can prepare for upcoming Microsoft renewals. They dive into Microsoft's latest earnings call, the company’s push for early commitments, and key strategies to maximize leverage in negotiations. From Copilot adoption trends to Azure commitments and unified support challenges, this episode provides actionable insights to help IT decision-makers and sourcing professionals secure the best possible deal. Tune in to ensure you're ready to navigate your next Microsoft renewal with conf...
2025-03-0625 minInsights for IT NegotiationsSalesforce Q4 FY25 Earnings: Growth, Misses, and the Future of AI & DataAdam Mansfield breaks down Salesforce's Q4 FY25 earnings, revealing mixed results with single-digit growth and some key misses on analyst expectations. CEO Marc Benioff is doubling down on AI (Agentforce) and Data Cloud, but most specifically the "Holy Trinity" of CRM (Apps / Customer 360) + AI + Data. With CFO (Weaver) and COO (Millham) transitions, shifting revenue models, and an aggressive push for customer adoption of AI solutions with consumption-based licensing, what does this mean for businesses? Understanding discounting that is available, level of transparency needed, renewal protections, and the evolving consumption model is more critical than ever. For more...
2025-02-2707 minInsights for IT NegotiationsHow to Master Your Oracle Negotiations: Actionable Tips As We Approach Oracle's Year EndIn this episode of Insights for IT Negotiations, hosts John Belden and Kylie Chisholm are joined by Oracle advisory experts Jeff Lazarto and Shane Griffin from UpperEdge. They dive deep into Oracle's pricing strategies, Fusion ERP, and critical negotiation tactics. Learn how to navigate Oracle contracts, secure the best pricing, and avoid common pitfalls that could cost millions. Whether you're facing an upcoming renewal or a net-new deal, this episode arms you with the insights you need to negotiate with confidence.Resources:Explore Our Oracle Advisory PageBLOG - 4 Tips for Negotiation with...
2025-02-2030 minInsights for IT NegotiationsNavigating AI Ethics and Legislation in Your IT Contracts with Sarah AltWelcome to Insights for IT Negotiations, a podcast by UpperEdge, a leading IT sourcing, negotiation, and project execution advisory firm. Join John Belden, UpperEdge’s Chief Research and Strategy Officer, and Kylie Chisholm, UpperEdge’s Marketing Manager, every other week as they share valuable insights to help you maximize the value of your key IT relationships.AI is transforming the business landscape, but with innovation comes new legal and ethical challenges. In this episode ofInsights for IT Negotiations, hosts John Belden and Kylie Chisholm speak with Sarah Alt, Chief Process and AI Officer at Michael Best, about the e...
2025-02-1342 minInsights for IT NegotiationsMicrosoft’s Q2 FY2025 Earnings: Cloud Growth, AI Focus, and Enterprise Negotiation OpportunitiesMicrosoft just reported its Q2 FY2025 earnings, highlighting strong cloud growth but falling short on future guidance. With AI-driven revenue at the forefront, Microsoft is pushing hard for greater adoption of Copilot, Microsoft 365 E5, and Azure services. If you’re an enterprise customer, this is the moment to negotiate better pricing, ensure transparency, and secure renewal protections. Microsoft needs you to use more—leverage that to get the best deal possible. Don’t miss this breakdown from UpperEdge’s expert Microsoft advisor on what it all means for your business.
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2025-01-3108 minInsights for IT NegotiationsServiceNow Q4 FY2024 Earnings: AI Growth, Bold Revenue Goals, and Negotiation Insights
ServiceNow just reported its Q4 FY2024 earnings, revealing strong revenue growth but falling slightly short of analysts’ expectations. AI remains a major focus, with significant growth in its ProPlus offerings and a push toward increased customer adoption of Now Assist. With ambitious revenue targets of $15 billion by 2026 and $30 billion in the future, ServiceNow is looking to expand its footprint across IT, HR, and customer service. If you’re a customer, now is the time to negotiate better value and ensure transparency in pricing and consumption models. Don’t miss this deep dive from our ServiceNow expert advisor on what it all...
2025-01-3109 minInsights for IT Negotiations3 Market Forces Driving the IT Landscape in 2025Welcome to Insights for IT Negotiations, a podcast by UpperEdge, a leading IT sourcing, negotiation, and project execution advisory firm. Join John Belden, UpperEdge’s Chief Research and Strategy Officer, and Kylie Chisholm, UpperEdge’s Marketing Manager, every other week as they share valuable insights to help you maximize the value of your key IT relationships.In this first episode of 2025, John and Kylie explore the key market forces set to shape the IT vendor landscape in the year ahead. They discuss the maturity of generative AI and its impact on Systems Integrators, the rising challenge of technical debt, and t...
2025-01-3027 minInsights for IT NegotiationsInnovative AI with EY’s Michael Casey and Gaurav RastogiWelcome to Insights for IT Negotiations, a podcast by UpperEdge, a leading IT sourcing, negotiation, and project execution advisory firm. Join John Belden, UpperEdge’s Chief Research and Strategy Officer, and Kylie Chisholm, UpperEdge’s Marketing Manager, every other week as they share valuable insights to help you maximize the value of your key IT relationships.
This week, John and Kylie are talking with EY’s SAP CTO,
Michael Casey, and Managing Director, Gaurav Rastogi, to dive into SAP ERP implementations, EY’s AI innovations, and how Michael and Gaurav see the landscape evolving with Generative AI. Tune in to le...
2024-12-0550 minInsights for IT NegotiationsSalesforce Q3 FY25 Earnings: Focused on Pushing Agentforce and Data Cloud On CustomersSalesforce’s Q3 FY25 total revenue came in at $9.44B, representing an 8% growth year-over-year. This came in slightly above the $9.35B expected by analysts. While Salesforce did slightly raise the low end of their Full Year FY25 guidance from $37.7B to $37.7B (high end set at $38B), they also maintained an expected single digit revenue growth for FY25 at 8%-9%.
It is clear from the earnings call that CEO Marc Benioff and COO Brian Millham will push their sales organization, which will have 1000 new members soon, to get more customers to start using their AI Agent offering Ag...
2024-12-0415 minInsights for IT NegotiationsGen AI’s Impact on Field Services and MSPs: Actionable Insights for CustomersWelcome to Insights for IT Negotiations, a podcast by UpperEdge, a leading IT sourcing, negotiation, and project execution advisory firm. Join John Belden, UpperEdge’s Chief Research and Strategy Officer, and Kylie Chisholm, UpperEdge’s Marketing Manager, every other week as they share valuable insights to help you maximize the value of your key IT relationships.
This week, John and Kylie are talking with UpperEdge’s expert Managed Services advisor, Scott Braverman, about Generative AI’s impact on Managed Services offerings, specifically in the field services sector. They discuss why field services will likely be the most impacted b...
2024-11-0727 minInsights for IT NegotiationsMicrosoft FY25 Q1 Earnings: Microsoft Customers – Beware of Heavy AI Adoption PushMicrosoft announced their FY25 Q1 earnings last evening. Total revenue was reported as $65.6B, better than the $64.5B that analysts were expecting. The critically important Microsoft Cloud revenue, which includes Azure, O365 Commercial, LinkedIn, Dynamics 365, and other cloud products, came in at $38.B, representing a 22% increase year-over-year.
Microsoft’s go-forward success and revenue growth (including ARPU growth) will continue to be directly tied to Microsoft’s ability to expand their Cloud revenue and AI Business revenue, which is tracking towards becoming a $10B business. Their success will also be tied to getting more customers to adopt and use...
2024-10-3116 minInsights for IT NegotiationsServiceNow FY24 Q3 Earnings: Reliance on AI Adoption Creates Leverage for CustomersServiceNow’s FY24 Q3 subscription revenue came in at $2.72B, representing 23% growth year-over-year while, once again, beating guidance and analyst expectations. ServiceNow also raised their full year FY24 subscription revenue guidance, now expecting somewhere between $10.65B and $10.66B, about a 23% growth.
In this podcast, ServiceNow Practice Leader, Adam Mansfield, discusses what customers should expect from ServiceNow over the course of the upcoming year as the vendor does everything it can to enhance their position as a leader in the highly competitive GenAI and “AI Agents” space. More specifically, ServiceNow will continue to be focused on ramping upgrades and adop...
2024-10-2416 minInsights for IT NegotiationsThe Key to Getting Your Workday Negotiation RightWelcome to Insights for IT Negotiations, a podcast by UpperEdge, a leading IT sourcing, negotiation, and project execution advisory firm. Join John Belden, UpperEdge’s Chief Research and Strategy Officer, and Kylie Chisholm, UpperEdge’s Marketing Manager, every other week as they share valuable insights to help you maximize the value of your key IT relationships.
This week, John and Kylie are talking with UpperEdge’s expert Workday advisors, Jeff Lazarto and Erwann Couesbot, about the ways you can strategically elevate your Workday negotiations to maximize success. Jeff and Erwann discuss Workday licensing basics, key financial and commerci...
2024-10-1730 minInsights for IT NegotiationsSalesforce Agentforce: How This New AI Feature Will Impact CustomersWelcome to Insights for IT Negotiations, a podcast by UpperEdge, a leading IT sourcing, negotiation, and project execution advisory firm. Join John Belden, UpperEdge’s Chief Research and Strategy Officer, and Kylie Chisholm, UpperEdge’s Marketing Manager, every other week as they share valuable insights to help you maximize the value of your key IT relationships.
This week, John and Kylie are talking with UpperEdge’s Salesforce expert advisor, Adam Mansfield, about the vendor’s recent Dreamforce event and the big new release that came out of it: Agentforce. Adam breaks down what Agentforce is, how it’s priced, w...
2024-10-0335 minInsights for IT NegotiationsGenerative AI Platform FrameworksWelcome to Insights for IT Negotiations, a podcast by UpperEdge, a leading IT sourcing, negotiation, and project execution advisory firm. Join John Belden, UpperEdge’s Chief Research and Strategy Officer, and Kylie Chisholm, UpperEdge’s Marketing Manager, every other week as they share valuable insights to help you maximize the value of your key IT relationships.
This week, John and Kylie are taking a deep dive into the various Generative AI platforms, specifically AWS SageMaker, Microsoft Azure AI and Nvidia AI Enterprise. John breaks down what each of these platforms offer, how they compare to and differ from...
2024-09-1232 minInsights for IT NegotiationsSalesforce FY25 Q2 Earnings: How Salesforce’s Revenue Should Inform Your Dreamforce StrategySalesforce’s Q1 FY25 total revenue came in at $9.325B, representing an 8% growth year-over-year. This came in slightly above the $9.225B expected by analysts. Operating Margin came in at 33.7%, beating the analyst expected 31.94%. While Salesforce did raise their FY25 operating margin guidance to 32.8%, they also maintained their expected single digit (8%-9%) revenue guidance for FY25, citing a predicted deceleration in license revenue growth for the back half of the year. In addition to revenue numbers, it was also announced during the earnings call that CFO Amy Weaver will be stepping down.
It is clear from the earnings cal...
2024-08-3012 minInsights for IT NegotiationsUnderstanding How Generative AI Impacts Your Implementation MethodsWelcome to Insights for IT Negotiations, a podcast by UpperEdge, a leading IT sourcing, negotiation, and project execution advisory firm. Join John Belden, UpperEdge’s Chief Research and Strategy Officer, and Kylie Chisholm, UpperEdge’s Marketing Manager, every other week as they share valuable insights to help you maximize the value of your key IT relationships.
This week, John and Kylie chatted with Sam Bayaa, the Practice Leader for UpperEdge's Project Execution Advisory Services, to discuss how digital transformation implementation methods are affected by GenerativeAI. Sam speaks to the risks associated with implementing digital transformations in the age of AI, h...
2024-08-2236 minInsights for IT NegotiationsMicrosoft FY24 Q4 Earnings: Microsoft Will Push E5 and Copilot Adoption on CustomersMicrosoft announced their FY24 Q4 earnings recently, and the total Q4 revenue was reported as $64.7B, better than the $64.39B analysts were expecting. The critically important Microsoft Cloud revenue, which includes Azure, O365 Commercial, LinkedIn, Dynamics 365, and other cloud product, came in at $36.8B, representing a 21% increase year-over-year.
Microsoft’s go-forward success and revenue growth (ARPU growth) will continue to be directly tied to Microsoft’s ability get more customers to adopt their AI solutions (Copilot for Microsoft 365, Copilot for Sales, Copilot for Service, GitHub Copilot, and Azure OpenAI) and increase volume over time. It is also heav...
2024-08-0512 minInsights for IT NegotiationsPredictions for Generative AI's Impact on ERP Implementations - A Mid-Year UpdateWelcome to Insights for IT Negotiations, a podcast by UpperEdge, a leading IT sourcing, negotiation, and project execution advisory firm. Join John Belden, UpperEdge’s Chief Research and Strategy Officer, and Kylie Chisholm, UpperEdge’s Marketing Manager, every other week as they share valuable insights to help you maximize the value of your key IT relationships.
This week, John and Kylie reflected on some predictions John made at the beginning of 2024 regarding how Generative AI would impact ERP implementations. John provides critical insights into data privacy, recent litigation, and SI delivery models and shares how your top IT suppli...
2024-08-0131 minInsights for IT NegotiationsStrategies for Effectively Negotiating Oracle's OCI and UCC ModelsWelcome to Insights for IT Negotiations, a podcast by UpperEdge, a leading IT sourcing, negotiation, and project execution advisory firm. Join John Belden, UpperEdge’s Chief Research and Strategy Officer, and Kylie Chisholm, UpperEdge’s Marketing Manager, every other week as they share valuable insights to help you maximize the value of your key IT relationships.
This week, John and Kylie chatted with Shane Griffin, one of UpperEdge’s Oracle advisors, to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) and Oracle's Universal Credits model. These licensing models are notoriously tricky to unravel, but understand the key components of the services can help...
2024-07-1821 minInsights for IT NegotiationsSAP Sapphire 2024 Recap: How SAP Customers Can Leverage Key InsightsWelcome to Insights for IT Negotiations, a podcast by UpperEdge, a leading IT sourcing, negotiation, and project execution advisory firm. Join John Belden, UpperEdge’s Chief Research and Strategy Officer, and Kylie Chisholm, UpperEdge’s Marketing Manager, every other week as they share valuable insights to help you maximize the value of your key IT relationships.
This week, John and Kylie chatted with Michael Wesseler, one of UpperEdge's SAP advisors, to discuss what we learned at SAP Sapphire this year. Michael discusses SAP's RISE and AI strategy, some of the questions customers still have afte...
2024-06-2726 min
Sourcing Enterprise AIIn the News: Major AI Headlines from Q1 2024Welcome to “Sourcing Enterprise AI,” the podcast where we unravel the intricacies of AI sourcing and explore the latest news in Artificial Intelligence and its potential impact on the market.
In this week’s episode, co-hosts John Belden and Kylie Chisholm discuss some of the most pressing AI news as of late. From Oracle's push of "free" AI capabilities to the US government's ban of Microsoft Copilot and the EU's updated AI laws, we help IT and Procurement professionals understand how these news events could impact their AI strategy moving forward.
For a more tailored conver...
2024-04-0532 minSourcing Enterprise AISalesforce Einstein Copilot: Everything Customers Need to Know About the Generative AI ToolWelcome to “Sourcing Enterprise AI,” the podcast where we unravel the intricacies of AI sourcing and explore the latest news in Artificial Intelligence and its potential impact on the market.
In this week’s episode, co-hosts John Belden and Kylie Chisholm sit down with UpperEdge's Salesforce Practice Leader, Adam Mansfield, to discuss Salesforce's recent AI offering - Einstein Copilot. They discuss what Einstein Copilot is, how much Einstein Copilot costs, and the leverage customers have if they want to adopt Einstein Copilot.
For a more tailored conversation that considers your organization's unique needs, reach out to Ada...
2024-03-1434 minSourcing Enterprise AICapturing the Value of Generative AIWelcome to “Sourcing Enterprise AI,” the podcast where we unravel the intricacies of AI sourcing and explore the latest news in Artificial Intelligence and its potential impact on the market.
In this week’s episode, co-hosts John Belden and Kylie Chisholm are discussing how executives can better capture and communicate the value of AI. AI will be an inevitable part of enterprise organizations' roadmaps moving forward, but executives are challenged with articulating the value to drive AI adoption and use. John talks through the four channels of AI value that IT execs need to understand and gives next s...
2024-02-2228 minSourcing Enterprise AI9 Predictions for Generative AI in ERP ImplementationsWelcome to “Sourcing Enterprise AI,” the podcast where we unravel the intricacies of AI sourcing and explore the latest news in Artificial Intelligence and its potential impact on the market.
In this week’s episode, co-hosts John Belden and Kylie Chisholm are discussing the trends we are anticipating in 2024 for Generative AI's role in ERP implementations. From advising against sole source evaluations to unexpected delays in the implementation process, John gives specific customer recommendations for those navigating an ERP implementation with Generative AI technology.
Stay at the forefront of AI sourcing for enterprises and subscribe to the...
2024-02-0828 minSourcing Enterprise AIWhy The New York Times is Suing OpenAI and Microsoft
Welcome to “Sourcing Enterprise AI,” the podcast where we unravel the intricacies of AI sourcing and explore the latest news in Artificial Intelligence and its potential impact on the market.
In this week’s episode, co-hosts John Belden and Kylie Chisholm are discussing the recent lawsuit The New York Times brought against OpenAI and Microsoft. John lays out the circumstances that led to the lawsuit, what The Times is claiming in their legal documents, and how this lawsuit differs from the other legal issues we have seen in the Generative AI industry.
Read the fu...
2024-01-1835 minSourcing Enterprise AICopilot for Microsoft 365: How MSFT's AI Strategy Will Impact CustomersWelcome to “Sourcing Enterprise AI,” the podcast where we unravel the intricacies of AI sourcing and explore the latest news in Artificial Intelligence and its potential impact on the market.
In this week’s episode, co-hosts John Belden and Kylie Chisholm are joined by UpperEdge's Microsoft Practice Leader, Adam Mansfield, to discuss the recent launch of Copilot for Microsoft 365. Adam discusses Microsoft's go-forward AI strategy, how they will push this Copilot on customers, and what MSFT customers need to do to prepare for their upcoming negotiations in light of all this.
UpperEdge’s team of Microsof...
2023-12-1431 minSourcing Enterprise AIKey Takeaways from OpenAI's Leadership Changes: Insights for CIOs and CPOsWelcome to “Sourcing Enterprise AI,” the podcast where we unravel the intricacies of AI sourcing and explore the latest news in Artificial Intelligence and its potential impact on the market.
In this week’s episode, co-hosts John Belden and Kylie Chisholm discuss the recent spectacle at OpenAI and the departure and return of Sam Altman as CEO. John provides expert insights into what IT decision makers should be considering moving forward, including how OpenAI will impact future boardroom behaviors, the state of the AI market and AI talent, and the risks AI companies are willing to take to be...
2023-11-3030 minSourcing Enterprise AIWhat Enterprises Need to Know from Biden's AI Executive OrderWelcome to “Sourcing Enterprise AI,” the podcast where we unravel the intricacies of AI sourcing and explore the latest news in Artificial Intelligence and its potential impact on the market.
In this week’s episode, co-hosts John Belden and Bill Rufo discuss President Biden's recent executive order on AI safety and security. From handling security with AI to promoting innovation and competition in the AI market and protecting the American workforce, they break down the order to give you a high-level understanding of what it addresses and what this means for enterprise customers.
Stay at the fo...
2023-11-1628 minSourcing Enterprise AIAI and Systems Integrators: How Accenture, IBM, and Deloitte Are Using Generative AIWelcome to "Sourcing Enterprise AI," the podcast where we unravel the intricacies of AI sourcing and explore the latest news in Artificial Intelligence and its potential impact on the market.
In this week's episode, co-hosts John Belden and Bill Rufo discuss how Accenture, Deloitte, EY, and IBM are using and pushing Generative AI. They then discuss how integrating AI into your current IT portfolio can fundamentally change your internal processes and project execution. Lastly, they discuss how AI tools will affect the SIs long term in terms of productivity and talent.
Stay at the forefront...
2023-10-2623 minSourcing Enterprise AIAI Capabilities in SAP RISE and SAP's Generative AI Foundation ModelsWelcome to "Sourcing Enterprise AI," the podcast where we unravel the intricacies of AI sourcing and explore the latest news in Artificial Intelligence and its potential impact on the market.
In this week's episode, co-hosts John Belden and Bill Rufo sit down with UpperEdge's SAP Advisory Practice Leader, Chip Hanna, and SAP Advisory Manager, Michael Wesseler to discuss what they are seeing in the market from SAP, how SAP is winding AI capabilities into SAP RISE, and the generative AI foundation models SAP is creating in response to these changes in the market.
Interested in...
2023-10-1231 minSourcing Enterprise AIAI Terminology: The Fundamentals of Generative AI and Its CapabilitiesWelcome to "Sourcing Enterprise AI," the podcast where we unravel the intricacies of AI sourcing and explore the latest news in Artificial Intelligence and its potential impact on the market.
In this week's episode, co-hosts John Belden and Bill Rufo sit down discuss the basics of AI terminology, including Machine Learning, Generative AI, Prompt Engineering, and more. They also discuss using and building various AI models.
Stay at the forefront of AI sourcing for enterprises and subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts to never miss an episode.
For more innovative...
2023-09-2837 minSourcing Enterprise AIWelcome to Sourcing Enterprise AI, Presented by UpperEdgeWelcome to "Sourcing Enterprise AI," the podcast where we unravel the intricacies of AI sourcing and explore the latest news in Artificial Intelligence and its potential impact on the market.
In this week's episode, co-hosts John Belden and Bill Rufo sit down to discuss the research that went into understanding how AI has influenced the market, the five pillars of a successful AI implementation, and recent IT vendor AI announcements. John and Bill also dive into what future episodes of Sourcing Enterprise AI will cover.
Stay at the forefront of AI sourcing for enterprises and s...
2023-09-2128 minSourcing Enterprise AISourcing Enterprise AI TrailerWelcome to "Sourcing Enterprise AI," the podcast where we unravel the intricacies of AI sourcing and explore the latest news in Artificial Intelligence and its potential impact on the market.
Join our hosts, John Belden and Bill Rufo, every other week as they delve into the topics that matter most to IT decision makers and sourcing professionals. They’ll discuss the ever-changing AI market, the opportunities it presents and how organizations can mitigate the inherent risks and challenges associated with AI adoption and sourcing.
In each episode, you'll not only gain a deeper understanding of th...
2023-09-1200 min
Insights for IT NegotiationsComparing Private Cloud vs. Public CloudUnderstanding the pros and cons of Private Cloud vs. Public Cloud is essential to selecting the right scenario for your business. Through a combination of market research and experience supporting our clients going through similar transformational choices, Brian Undlin, IT Sourcing & Negotiation Analyst at UpperEdge has identified factors to help you decide whether a private or public cloud would be the best fit for your company. More in-depth analysis on this topic can be read in Brian’s blog at upperedge.com.
2020-11-1708 min
Insights for IT NegotiationsBenchmarking Your Workday ContractsWorkday deals consist of a number of factors and unique challenges, the top questions customers have is around pricing— e.g. “Is our proposal pricing from Workday a fair one?”, “Is our prior deal a good one?”, “Where do we stand within the market?”. To start answering these questions, you need to look at your benchmarking factors, which consist of list prices, discounts, net fees on a line-item basis, full service equivalents (FSEs), SKUs and more. Jeff Lazarto, UpperEdge’s Workday Advisory Leader breaks down the components of a Workday deal in this podcast, and in his recent Workday Webcast downloadable at...
2020-10-1704 min
Insights for IT NegotiationsSAP Extends DAAP to End of 2021 But Not Everyone Should AdoptSAP customers will eventually have to move from Indirect Access to Digital Access. In an effort to speed up this process (which benefits SAP), SAP created their Digital Access Adoption Program (DAAP). The financial answers to know whether to stay on Indirect Access past 12/21 or to take advantage of the program are complex. Devin Djerf, UpperEdge’s Senior Analyst, is seeing SAP clients saving by not adopting. In this podcast, he discusses the steps you should take to determine if you should adopt now or wait.
Host: Devin Djerf: https://bit.ly/2VuynFS
SAP Commercial Advisory Services: https://bit.ly/3yj...
2020-08-2402 min
Insights for IT NegotiationsWorkday Customer Success Packages – Are They Right for You?Workday offers three different tiers of Customer Success packages Though Workday doesn’t actively promote their packages, every Workday customer should at least be aware of them. Workday offers three different tiers of Customer Success packages (Silver, Gold, and Platinum) each with a different set of deployment and post go-live services. Erwann Couesbot, UpperEdge's Senior IT Sourcing Negotiation Advisor discusses their differences, tiering, why they are important and his recommendations. You can also get more in-depth information about this topic from Erwann's blog at UpperEdge.com
Host: Erwann Couesbot: https://bit.ly/2WIKJdX
Workday Commercial Advisory Services: https://bit.ly/2TT...
2020-08-2005 min
Insights for IT NegotiationsThird Party Support - 6 Considerations for Oracle CustomersThe bulk of Oracle’s support renewals come up in late July and early August. If you're an Oracle customer, it's around this time that you may realize that you didn’t get the support you needed from Oracle yet your support fees continue to increase. One way to manufacture leverage for your Oracle support renewal is to consider third-party support. Jeff Lazarto, UpperEdge’s Oracle Practice Leader, discusses 6 key considerations to keep in mind as you evaluate your third-party support options.
Host: Jeff Lazarto: https://bit.ly/37eCXdN
Oracle Commercial Advisory Services: https://bit.ly/3jdtF7p
Related Blog: https...
2020-08-0507 min
Insights for IT NegotiationsAvoid the Pitfalls of Oracle’s NUP Metric for Licensing EntitlementsErwann Couesbot, UpperEdge’s Oracle Senior Advisor discusses common mistakes customers make when trying to assess their licenses for Oracle Technology Products, and more specifically the NUP (Named User Plus) metric Oracle uses. The top mistake is users tend to refer to their entitlements vs. how many people and devices are accessing Oracles software. Oracle doesn’t limit clients to their entitlements, therefore it is very easy to become out of compliance. Listen now for a more in-depth analysis and go to UpperEdge.com to read his related blog.
Host: Erwann Couesbot: https://bit.ly/2WIKJdX
Oracle Commercial Advisory Services: http...
2020-07-0706 min
Insights for IT NegotiationsExpanding Your Workday Footprint? Avoid these 6 MistakesJeff Lazarto, UpperEdge’s Workday Practice Leader gives a rundown of the top 6 things to do for Workday customers looking to expand their Workday product portfolio. Start with assessing your current deal, look at the competitiveness of your pricing and commercial terms, this will put you on good footing for negotiation leverage, especially if you have any existing pain-points or issues you’ve needed to address. Listen further for additional tips and read Jeff’s blog, “Workday Solution Expansion – 6 Customer Mistakes” for more insights.
Host: Jeff Lazarto: https://bit.ly/37eCXdN
Workday Commercial Advisory Services: https://bit.ly/3ik7zB3
Related Blog...
2020-06-0807 min
Insights for IT NegotiationsWorkday’s FSE Categories and Why They MatterWorkday has broken up their Full-Service Equivalent (FSE) workers into different categories: Salaried Workers, Hourly Workers, Part-time Workers and Contingent Workers. Jeff Lazarto, UpperEdge’s Workday practice leader explains why it’s important to pay attention to how you categorize and breakdown your workforce based on this new structure; you can find flexibility and cost savings within it.
Host: Jeff Lazarto: https://bit.ly/37eCXdN
Workday Commercial Advisory Services: https://bit.ly/3ik7zB3
Related Blog: https://bit.ly/2WOUx6k
2020-05-1003 min
Insights for IT NegotiationsSAP AMS Hosting Optimization OpportunitiesMost organizations have shied away from reducing costs of their SAP platform during lean times, but that’s no longer the case considering the breadth and depth of the economic impact of Covid-19. Chip Hanna, UpperEdge’s SAP Practice Director discusses some opportunities around AMS and hosting that companies have to drive down costs. There are a few levers companies can use—commercial levers on existing agreements, operational levers on relationships with AMS and hosting providers, and competitive levers to drive cost negotiations.
Host: Chip Hanna: https://bit.ly/37gknCk
SAP Commercial Advisory Services: https://bit.ly/3yjImwb
Related Blog: https...
2020-04-2807 min
Insights for IT NegotiationsHow Oracle Can DominateWith all the changes in the market, Oracle is poised to dominate, so long as they are willing to adapt, evolve and potentially trailblaze. Jeff Lazarto, UpperEdge’s Oracle’s Practice Leader, discusses a few of these steps Oracle can take, starting with consolidation of their cloud appications as one business. Bringing in a single, true applications leader, could inturn bring in the additional talent they need to develop applications similar to how Microsoft has done under the helm of Satya Nadella.
Host: Jeff Lazarto: https://bit.ly/37eCXdN
Oracle Commercial Advisory Services: https://bit.ly/3jdtF7p
Related Blog: https...
2020-04-1510 min
Insights for IT NegotiationsSaaS Providers: Do the Right Thing!How is the Coronavirus impacting the SaaS market? This can be an opportunity for SaaS providers to step up, be leaders and demonstrate the true partnerships they have with their clients and employees. Workday has taken the initial step of paying a cash bonus to their employees, equalling two weeks of pay or roughly $80M. This was a pretty bold move as they are relatively small in comparison to their competitors, Oracle, SAP and Microsoft. Following suit, Marc Benioff announced that Saleforce would not being conducting any significant layoffs for at least the next 90 days and encouraging other CEOs to...
2020-03-2604 min
Insights for IT NegotiationsWorkday’s Q4 For FY ’20 - Value Propisition Is Driving GrowthWorkday added 11 new Fortune 500 companies, about 45% of the Fortune 500 are now HCM customers, which comprises about 60% of the Fortune 50. Jeff Lazarto, UpperEdge’s practice leader breaks down Workday’s Q4 fiscal year 20 results, and talks about whether Workday’s HCM cloud solution could replace Oracle’s and SAP’s solutions.
Host: Jeff Lazarto: https://bit.ly/37eCXdN
Workday Commercial Advisory Services: https://bit.ly/3jhUk30
2020-03-1607 min
Insights for IT NegotiationsOracle Shareholder Lawsuits - Cloud RevenueClaims that Oracle has misrepresented the nature of some of their cloud sales over the number of years has prompted lawsuits from shareholders. Some of these cloud deals weren’t all brought on by customer demand but instead by duress. In using their audit levers for on-premise licenses, Oracle would offer sweetheart deals to settle their audit claims so long as clients were willing to purchase cloud services even if those cloud services were not needed. UpperEdge’s Oracle Advisory Leader, Jeff Lazarto, highlights events around this case and Oracle’s cloud performance.
Host: Jeff Lazarto: https://bit.ly/37eCXdN
Oracle...
2020-02-2806 min
Insights for IT Negotiations5 SOW Essentials in a Real World CaseTed Rogers, Practice Leader at UpperEdge, refers to a recent conversation he had with a Project Manager overseeing an application development project for his client. The conversation was a timely one coming on the heels of Ted's recent blog, 5 SOW Essentials to Make You Look Smart. From vendors to clients, it's extremely important to have a solid statement of work in order for all parties to agree upon the project deliverables and when those deliverables are due.
Host: Ted Rogers: https://bit.ly/2V7h1z3
Project Execution Advisory Services: https://bit.ly/3xlw9px
Related Blog: https://bit.ly/2...
2020-02-0203 min
Insights for IT NegotiationsServiceNow Q4 FY19 Earning Recap: Stellar growth and High ConfidenceServiceNow reported outstanding Q4 FY19 numbers and growth, beating analyst estimates. New CEO, Bill McDermott's, confidence in ServiceNow was evident as he clearly laid out their key priorities and go-to-market strategy for scaling ServiceNow and ultimately achieving their lofty 2020 goals. Enterprises should prepare to be approached by an aggressive and highly motivated sales force with precise value propositions. UpperEdge's ServiceNow Practice Leader, Adam Mansfield, uncovers the implications of this positive earnings call and highlights the most important numbers that enterprises need to be aware of.
Host: Adam Mansfield: https://bit.ly/3rPGp8r
ServiceNow Commercial Advisory Services: https://bit.ly/3l...
2020-01-2909 min
Insights for IT NegotiationsWhy Your Java Compliance Depends On Your Version Of JavaErwann Couesbot, UpperEdge's Oracle Practice Advisor and Java Expert, discusses the 2 main license agreements covering different versions of Java. This podcast highlights some of the key differences organizations have to consider to ensure that their Java usage is not out of compliance.
Host: Erwann Couesbot: https://bit.ly/2WIKJdX
Oracle Commercial Advisory Services: https://bit.ly/3C8PnSR
2019-12-3004 min
Insights for IT NegotiationsChoosing Workday to Implement Workday? Ask About These 3 Pricing ModelsErwann Couesbot, UpperEdge's Workday expert discusses using Workday as a System Implementation partner over other Large SIs like Accenture, Deloitte, IBM etc. There are 3 common pricing models most SIs offer which you should be sure to ask Workday about if you choose them as your SI partner.
Host: Erwann Couesbot: https://bit.ly/2WIKJdX
Workday Commercial Advisory Services: https://bit.ly/2TTLjEO
2019-12-2409 min
Insights for IT NegotiationsMaintaining Control Of Fixed Price Outsourcing AgreementsGreg Hall, UpperEdge's IT Sourcing Advisor discusses how to maintain and control a fixed price outsourcing agreement and how to manage change with the introduction of Deadband, ARC and RRC metrics.
2019-12-1609 min
Insights for IT NegotiationsTop 3 Commercial Terms of AWS's Enterprise Discount ProgramErwann Couesbot UpperEdge's AWS Practice Advisor discusses AWS's Enterprise Discount Program and his take on the top 3 commercial terms any potential AWS enterprise customer should negotiate when considering this program.
2019-12-1505 min
Insights for IT NegotiationsWorkday’s Q3 Earnings — Another Great QuarterWorkday’s numbers are outstanding with 26% YoY growth, 28% subscription growth. Their execution and strategy are working well, they are seeing growth in HCM, Finance, Planning and Analytics products by adding six F500 customers and eleven Global 2000 customers. Customer satisfaction rate is over 97%, their customer base is over 3,000 and they’ve added over 400 employees. Jeff Lazarto, UpperEdge’s Workday Practice leader delves into more of Workday’s promising financials in this podcast.
Host: Jeff Lazarto: https://bit.ly/37eCXdN
Workday Commercial Advisory Services: https://bit.ly/3fq96DV
2019-12-0804 min
Insights for IT NegotiationsUpperEdge at SAPPHIRE - Day 2Derek Light, UpperEdge's Digital Practice Lead podcasts from SAPPHIRE 2017
2017-05-1803 min
Insights for IT NegotiationsUpperEdge at SAPPHIRE - Day 1Derek Light on location as SAPPHIRE 2017 for UpperEdge
2017-05-1702 min