PODCAST · business
Insights for IT Negotiations
by UpperEdge
The world's most trusted IT negotiation advisors for innovative IT sourcing and risk mitigation strategies
Episodes
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5 Most Common Enterprise SaaS Negotiation Mistakes
Adam Mansfield sees the same five mistakes derail enterprise SaaS and AI negotiations over and over: no unified message across IT, procurement, and the business; too much focus on what's new and not enough on what you already own; starting the renewal process far too late; failing to force...
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What do Salesforce's New Editions and Bundles Mean for Salesforce Customers?
Salesforce made a major announcement on September 3, 2026: new Agentforce Sales, Service, and Industries editions have been rolled out...there three (3) new editions — Core, Advanced, and Max. And notably, Salesforce described "legacy" Enterprise and Unlimited editions appear to have removed from...
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Think Your SaaS Renewal Cap Protects You? Read the Fine Print
Many organizations heading into SaaS renewals this year and next feel confident: they negotiated price caps, price transparency, and renewal protections, so the noise about vendor price uplifts doesn't apply to them. Adam Mansfield, Practice Leader at UpperEdge, explains why that confidence may…
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3 Questions Every Company Must Ask Their SaaS Vendor Before Renewing
Approaching a SaaS renewal or fielding a pitch for new products, upgrades, or AI offerings? Before you ever talk pricing, there are three questions your entire team — procurement, IT, and line of business — should be consistently putting in front of your vendor.In this video, Adam Mansfield,...
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Salesforce Q2 FY27 Earnings and Claudeforce: What It Means for Your Negotiation
Salesforce just reported Q2 FY27 earnings — and dropped a major announcement alongside Anthropic: Claudeforce. In this video, Adam Mansfield, Practice Leader at UpperEdge, breaks down the numbers behind the earnings call and what the new Claudeforce offering could mean for your Salesforce (and...
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Why Vendors Win at Renewal: Your 9-Month Prep Playbook
Learn when your organization should actually start preparing for SaaS renewals and why timing matters far more than most procurement teams realize. In this episode, Adam breaks down the real timeline for managing enterprise renewals, the critical prep work that determines deal quality, and what…
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Microsoft's M365 Copilot Push: What CIOs Should Expect at Renewal
Adam Mansfield, Practice Leader at UpperEdge and leading Microsoft Negotiation Advisor, breaks down why Microsoft is aggressively pushing M365 Copilot adoption and/or accelerated usage at renewal time — even when customers want to stay flat or scale back their M365 Copilot volumes.Drawing from...
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Microsoft's FY26 Q4 Earnings: What the Numbers Mean for Your Next Negotiation
Microsoft just closed out fiscal year 2026 with $90 billion in Q4 revenue, up 18% and beating analyst expectations. In this video, Adam Mansfield, Practice Leader at UpperEdge, breaks down the key results from the earnings call — and more importantly, what they mean for customers heading into...
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Outcome-Based Pricing: What Salesforce's Pay-Per-Resolution Model Really Means
Salesforce just shook up its Agentforce Help Agent pricing, moving from per-conversation consumption pricing to pay-per-resolution. Sounds like a win for customers, but is it?UpperEdge's Salesforce Practice Leader Adam Mansfield breaks down what "resolution" actually means, the resolution-pack...
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Microsoft Copilot Cowork Pricing Explained: The Hybrid Cost Trap
Adam Mansfield, Practice Leader at UpperEdge, breaks down Microsoft Copilot Cowork — now generally available and priced on a consumption basis. Adam explains why the model is actually hybrid (not just consumption), what customers need to do with their Microsoft 365 and Microsoft 365 Copilot...
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Salesforce's New Agentforce Help Agent Pricing: What Outcome-Based Licensing Really Means for You
Salesforce just announced a major shift: Salesforce's Agentforce Help Agent (its Autonomous AI Service Agent offering) will come with outcome-based (Pay-Per-Resolution) licensing at $2 per successful resolution, with an ability to buy prepaid packs of resolutions.In this video, Adam Mansfield,...
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How to Get Microsoft to Bend: Leverage Strategies for Your EA Renewal
Microsoft has a playbook, and it's not yours. In this episode, UpperEdge’s Microsoft Practice Leader, Adam Mansfield, breaks down what actually creates leverage in a Microsoft negotiation right now, what mistakes enterprises are making, and why the tactics that worked even a year ago may no…
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GitHub Copilot's New Licensing Model: What You Must Know Before You Sign
GitHub Copilot's licensing changed on June 1st — and if you're a business or enterprise customer, the stakes couldn't be higher. In this video, Adam Mansfield, Practice Leader at UpperEdge, breaks down exactly what changed, what it means for your organization, and how to negotiate from a position...
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Salesforce Q1 FY27 Earnings Analysis: Agentforce Growth, Headless 360 & AI Pricing Risks
Salesforce reported Q1 FY27 earnings with revenue exceeding expectations, but the bigger story is the company's push toward AI-driven, consumption-based revenue models. In this analysis, Adam Mansfield breaks down Salesforce's quarterly results, Agentforce adoption trends, Data Cloud growth,...
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ServiceNow Knowledge 2026 Recap: AI All Over the Place
In this video, Adam breaks down what ServiceNow customers are really asking:• How to get more value from existing investments• What embedded AI actually means for licensing and renewals• Risks around AI forecasting and overcommitment• Questions surrounding the various AI offerings coming out…
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Microsoft Q3 Earnings Breakdown: The Hidden Shift to AI Consumption Pricing
In this breakdown, Adam Mansfield explains the key takeaways from Microsoft’s earnings call, including rapid Azure growth, surging Copilot adoption, and the expansion of AI-driven revenue. But the real story isn’t just AI—it’s how Microsoft is restructuring its licensing model.Customers must now...
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ServiceNow Q1 FY26 Earnings Breakdown: AI Packaging & Pricing, Now Assist & What Customers Must Know
ServiceNow’s Q1 FY26 earnings delivered strong growth, but what does it mean for customers navigating renewals, new AI product packaging and pricing, along with associated contract negotiations?In this breakdown, Adam Mansfield analyzes key takeaways from ServiceNow’s earnings call, including...
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ServiceNow Knowledge 2026: What IT Leaders Need to Know Before You Go
With ServiceNow Knowledge 2026 right around the corner, what should IT leaders and sourcing professionals expect, and how can you prepare ahead of Las Vegas? In this episode, UpperEdge’s Adam Mansfield breaks down the biggest themes shaping this year’s event: from the surge of AI-driven messaging...
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ServiceNow's New Product Packaging: AI Included, Pricing Tiers, and What Customers Must Know
ServiceNow has announced "AI" will be included in all products moving forward, but what does that actually mean for customers? In this breakdown, ServiceNow Practice Leader and Industry Expert, Adam Mansfield analyzes ServiceNow’s new AI-enabled product strategy, including the shift to bundled AI...
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Salesforce Slack AI Push: Hidden Costs, Renewal Pressure & What Buyers Must Do
Salesforce is doubling down on Slack—and AI is at the center of it. With the introduction of Slack’s “AI agent” (Slackbot), customers should expect increased pressure to adopt, upgrade, and spend more.In this breakdown, Adam Mansfield explains what’s really happening behind the scenes: why...
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ServiceNow’s Consumption Trap: What Every Customer Needs to Know
Consumption-based pricing is rapidly becoming the norm, especially with AI. In this episode, we break down ServiceNow’s hybrid consumption model for Now Assist and why it’s more complex (and risky) than it appears. Learn how vendors are using this model to drive revenue, the red flags to watch…
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Oracle’s Big Shift: AI Infrastructure, Layoffs, and What It Means for Customers
Shane Griffin, Oracle Practice Manager at UpperEdge, breaks down Oracle’s latest strategic moves following its Q3 earnings call. From leadership changes and a new CFO hire to large-scale layoffs, Oracle is clearly doubling down on AI infrastructure and OCI growth. In this analysis, Shane explains...
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SaaS Renewal Red Flags: What Vendors Don’t Want You to See
In this video, Adam Mansfield shares a critical red flag to watch for when approaching a SaaS renewal negotiation, especially with major vendors like Salesforce, Microsoft, SAP, and/or ServiceNow.If you’ve explicitly asked for a simple “as-is” SaaS renewal proposal and the vendor sidesteps that...
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How Generative AI Accelerated a Complex SAP Transformation
In this episode of Insights for IT Negotiations, we take a deeper dive into one of the most talked-about topics in enterprise transformation today: the real-world application of generative AI. Building on our previous conversation, we’re joined again byKevin Lagge of OGE and UpperEdge’s Ted…
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Why SaaS Vendors Keep Changing Your Account Team (And What To Do)
Enterprise customers are seeing a sharp rise in account team changes across major SaaS vendors like Microsoft, Salesforce, and ServiceNow. But this isn’t just turnover—it’s a strategic shift.In this video, Adam Mansfield from UpperEdge explains why vendors are reshuffling account teams more...
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Microsoft 365 E7: The Next Big Enterprise Lock-In?
Microsoft may finally be preparing to launch Microsoft 365 E7, a long-rumored enterprise bundle that could reshape how organizations adopt AI, Copilot, and security tools.In this video, UpperEdge’s Adam Mansfield breaks down the rumors surrounding E7, including what might be included, potential...
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Workday Q4 Earnings Breakdown: What Customers Need to Know
Workday’s Q4 earnings are out — but what do they really mean for customers?In this analysis, Shane Griffin, IT Sourcing & Commercial Advisory Practice Manager at UpperEdge, breaks down Workday’s financial performance, reduced 2027 guidance, stock volatility, and AI acquisition strategy — and...
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Salesforce Q4 FY26 Earnings Breakdown: Agentforce and the Flex Credits Flywheel
Salesforce’s Q4 FY26 earnings revealed 10% annual growth and $41.5B in revenue — but the real story is Agentforce and the AI monetization plans Salesforce laid out. Adam Mansfield breaks down what Salesforce customers need to understand about: Agentforce ARR hitting $800M (up 169%) 29,000...
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Is Consumption-Based AI Pricing Setting Enterprises Up for Long-Term Cost Overruns?
Adam Mansfield of UpperEdge breaks down a critical but overlooked risk in today’s AI deals: token-based, credit-based, and usage-driven pricing models from vendors like OpenAI (ChatGPT), Anthropic Claude, Google Gemini, Salesforce Agentforce, ServiceNow, and Microsoft Copilot Studio.As...
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SaaS Vendor Complaints and Contract Risks in 2026
In this episode of Insights for IT Negotiations, AdamMansfield and Kylie Chisholm break down the top frustrations enterprise customers are facing with their SaaS vendors in 2026. From AI upsells and consumption-based pricing to surprise price increases and sales turnover, they explore why…
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Is SaaS Dead? The Truth About Enterprise Renewals
Is SaaS vendors really in trouble or is that narrative overblown? Adam Mansfield breaks down the growing concern over whether SaaS is dead. Drawing from real conversations with many SaaS customers, he explains why Salesforce, ServiceNow, Workday, SAP, and Oracle renewals aren’t disappearing…
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Don’t Forget LinkedIn When Preparing for Your Microsoft EA Negotiation
Many organizations heading into their Microsoft EA renewal forget to account for a major negotiation lever: LinkedIn. In this discussion, Adam Mansfield explains why LinkedIn (Recruiter, Learning, Sales Navigator) should be strategically aligned with your broader Microsoft Enterprise Agreement…
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After the Microsoft Deal is Signed: What Customers Must Do Next
In this video, Adam Mansfield explains what CIOs, and their companies must do once their Microsoft negotiation is completed—especially after committing to Microsoft 365 E5 and increasing Microsoft 365 Copilot volume. Drawing from a recent client engagement, Adam outlines how to hold Microsoft...
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Microsoft FY26 Q2 Earnings: What Copilot, Azure & AI Spending Mean for Your Negotiation Leverage
Microsoft just reported Q2 earnings with strong revenue growth, accelerating cloud performance, and massive AI infrastructure investments—but margins are tightening. Copilot adoption and paid seat growth Azure acceleration and AI-driven infrastructure spend Microsoft 365 E5 and Copilot leverage…
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ServiceNow Q4 Earnings: What Customers Must Know
ServiceNow just reported Q4 FY25 earnings, and the numbers reveal critical leverage points for customers heading into renewals and new purchases. Adam Mansfield breaks down what was reported and what ServiceNow leadership said on the earnings call, along with his thoughts on how ServiceNow...
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Beating the Odds: Governance, SAP RISE, and AI in a Major IT Transformation
What does it take to successfully navigate a massive ITtransformation without ending up in the headlines? In this episode of Insights for IT Negotiations, hosts John Belden and Kylie Chisholm are joined by UpperEdge Chief Advisory Officer Len Riley and OG&E’s Director of Technology Strategy…
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OpenAI, Anthropic & Google Are Coming for Enterprise Spend — Make Them Earn It
Enterprise AI vendors like OpenAI (ChatGPT), Anthropic (Claude), and Google (Gemini) are aggressively targeting enterprise customers—and they need your business. In this video, Adam Mansfield breaks down why enterprises must slow down, negotiate hard, and secure the right commitments before…
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What Microsoft Customers Really Want From Microsoft in 2026
In this episode, Adam Mansfield shares unfiltered insight into what Microsoft customers actually want from Microsoft heading into 2026. Drawing on conversations with CIOs and senior business leaders, Adam explains growing frustration around forced upgrades, E5 and Copilot pressure, Azure...
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How Salesforce Can Accelerate Growth in 2026: Listen to Customers, Lead With Value
In this video, Adam Mansfield shares grounded, real-world insights from ongoing conversations with Salesforce customers, analysts, and the investment community. He explains why aggressive pricing tactics and forced product strategies are undermining trust—and how Salesforce can instead accelerate...
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How Strong SLA Frameworks Drive Better MSP Performance
Many 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…
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Microsoft 365 Price Increases + Volume Discounts Removed: What to Do Before Your Next Renewal
Microsoft has kicked off a rapid pricing and commercial-policy shift that will materially impact most enterprise renewals. First, Microsoft’s volume discounting levels (B/C/D) have effectively been removed (unless you have airtight renewal price protection language). Next, Microsoft announced…
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Salesforce Q3 FY26: Agentforce, Data 360 and The Consumption Trap
Salesforce just reported its Q3 FY26 earnings: $10.3B in Total Revenue, slowing growth in core clouds, and formidable ARR headlines for Agentforce and Data Cloud (Data 360). But what do these numbers actually mean for your next Salesforce deal? In this video, Adam Mansfield breaks down: Q3 FY26...
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Salesforce Foundations: The “Free” Offer That Can Be Very Costly
Salesforce 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...
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ServiceNow Impact: How to Push Back, Cut Costs, and Protect Your Renewal
Many 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,...
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From Risk to Reward: How SaskPower Achieved a Smooth S/4HANA Go-Live with Jesse Webb
In 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...
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Microsoft FY26 Q1 Earnings: Clear Objectives Customers Need to Be Aware Of
In 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...
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ServiceNow Q3 FY25 Earnings: AI Growth, CRM Jabs and Reliance on Consumption Based Pricing
Adam 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...
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Dreamforce 2025: Salesforce’s AI Push, AELA Explained, and What It Means for Your Renewals
In 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...
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Salesforce’s New Agentic Enterprise Licensing Agreement (AELA) – What Customers Need to Know
During 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...
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Navigating 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...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The world's most trusted IT negotiation advisors for innovative IT sourcing and risk mitigation strategies
HOSTED BY
UpperEdge
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Insights for IT Negotiations have?
Insights for IT Negotiations currently has 362 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Insights for IT Negotiations about?
The world's most trusted IT negotiation advisors for innovative IT sourcing and risk mitigation strategies
How often does Insights for IT Negotiations release new episodes?
Insights for IT Negotiations publishes regularly with 362 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
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Who hosts Insights for IT Negotiations?
Insights for IT Negotiations is created and hosted by UpperEdge.
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