Insights for IT Negotiations

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 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 in to hear practical insights on:Balancing internal and external project resourcesEstablishing clear go-live criteria and risk mitigation plansThe power of co-location and building team trustHow early alignment and executive communication drive project successWhether you’re preparing for your own SAP modernization or navigating a complex IT transformation, this conversation is packed with real-world lessons on what it takes to deliver results confidently and collaboratively.Resources:BLOG - Thriving Amid Uncertainty: How to Move Your Digital Transformation Forward While Others FreezeBLOG - Rethinking Transformation Strategy in an AI-First World: AI is Changing SAP Strategy. Is Your Busin…About the Show:Welcome 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 & Strategy Officer, and Kylie Chisholm, UpperEdge’s Marketing Manager, every other week as they share high-impact insights to help you maximize the value of your key IT relationships.Timestamps:03:05 — Overview of SaskPower and Its SAP Background04:35 — The SAP Modernization Program05:23 — From ECC to S/4HANA: Scope and Approach07:03 — Modernizing Custom Applications and Risk Mitigation08:33 — Lessons Learned from Earlier Projects10:33 — Managing Internal Resource Capacity13:20 — IT vs. Business Resource Constraints14:05 — Business Integration and Dedicated Resources14:39 — Sponsor Message (UpperEdge Subscription Advisory Services)14:59 — Go-Live Readiness: Planning and Criteria16:01 — Testing Strategy and Success Criteria19:01 — Practice Conversions and Dress Rehearsals20:04 — The Go-Live Weekend Experience21:10 — Risk Management and Business Continuity Plans22:53 — Lessons from Backup Planning24:04 — Key Decisions That Drove Success25:21 — Co-Location and Building Team Cohesion27:08 — Value of Personal Relationships in Project Success28:13 — What Jesse Would Do Differently29:03 — The Importance of Context in Decision-Making

In this engaging discussion, Adam Mansfield, Salesforce Practice Leader at UpperEdge and expert in Salesforce negotiations, delves into the hot topics from Dreamforce 2025. He shares insights on the newly introduced Agentic Enterprise Licensing Agreement (AELA) and its potential risks. Adam emphasizes the importance of evaluating Salesforce’s new AI features while ensuring core products aren't neglected. He also provides strategic advice for upcoming renewals, urging customers to document usage and communicate clearly to protect their interests.

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 consistent messagingGet the most out of DreamforceIf you’re a Salesforce customer heading into renewal season, this episode offers timely, practical advice to help you protect value and improve outcomes.Resources:BLOG – Salesforce’s New Agentforce Pricing: What Customers Should KnowVIDEO – Salesforce Q2 FY26 Earnings: Agentforce Hype vs. RealityAbout the Show:Welcome to Insights for IT Negotiations, a podcast by UpperEdge, a leading IT sourcing, negotiation, and project execution advisory firm. Join Adam Mansfield, UpperEdge’s Salesforce Practice Leader 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.For more innovative IT sourcing and risk mitigation insights, subscribe to the UpperEdge newsletter and follow UpperEdge on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Oracle just named two co-CEOs and doubled down on an AI-first future. Jeff Lazarto explains how OCI’s gigawatt-scale GPU superclusters, Oracle’s vectorized “AI database,” and application-layer AI agents could make Oracle the standard for AI training and—soon—enterprise inferencing. He also highlights what this means for customers evaluating Oracle today: timing, deal leverage, and a practical path from on-prem to cloud/Fusion.  Key Points:Why big AI players are choosing OCI for training; cost/performance narrative.  Oracle’s bet that inferencing (AI agents doing work) will dwarf training.  The “AI database” and data privacy posture across models.  Leadership update: co-CEO model aligning apps vs. infra.  Customer takeaways: leverage, migration paths, and contract strategy. Episode Chapters00:00:23 AI and OCI are driving Oracle’s momentum - Oracle’s earnings buzz is fueled by AI demand and OCI’s gigawatt-scale GPU superclusters selected by top AI players.00:01:11 Why big tech is choosing OCI - Oracle claims faster/cheaper model training; efficiency and cost are key factors behind marquee customer selection.00:02:04 Training now, inferencing next (the much bigger market) - Ellison frames inferencing—AI agents embedded in business processes—as the wave that will dwarf training.00:02:46 From “college” to work: enterprise-tuned AI agents - Publicly trained models get fine-tuned on company data so AI agents can actually do tasks for the business.00:03:05 Oracle’s AI Database and vector search - Oracle pitches a vectorized, privacy-preserving database that works across ~25+ models while keeping enterprise data secure.00:03:41 Endorsement loop that benefits Oracle - If leading AI builders rely on OCI, enterprises may follow suit for hosting their own AI workloads.00:04:24 OCI growth projections that shocked Wall Street - Oracle reiterated aggressive OCI revenue targets through FY30, a key driver of the stock’s surge.00:05:12 Oracle’s stack: training → inferencing → data → apps - Strategy spans AI training/inferencing, the AI database layer, and SaaS built on AI application generators.00:05:50 App generators = networks of AI agents - Oracle describes SaaS evolving from hand-coded software to AI agents linked by workflows.00:07:07 Multicloud and “Cloud@Customer” options - Run Oracle in public regions, behind your firewall, or access Oracle Database from Azure/AWS/GCP via reseller arrangements.00:07:28 Leadership shift: two new co-CEOs - Clay Magouyrk (OCI/engineering) and Mike Sicilia (industries/apps) step in; tech-first leaders for infra and apps.00:08:05 Clay McGuirk’s remit (Gen2 OCI & AI DCs) - Architect behind high-performance OCI powering gigawatt-scale AI training is elevated.00:08:30 Mike Sicilia’s remit (vertical apps & AI) - Industry SaaS leader focuses on applying AI within Oracle’s application portfolio.00:09:12 Why tech visionaries at the top matters - Oracle follows the big-tech pattern: product-minded leaders setting direction vs. sales-led stewardship.00:10:01 Co-CEO model returns; wider exec moves - Safra Catz shifts to executive vice chair; additional sales/finance leadership changes are in motion.00:11:30 Two-engine company, two tech CEOs - Structure mirrors Oracle’s dual identity: infrastructure and applications led by AI-savvy chiefs.00:11:57 Customer takeaway: leverage the moment - High expectations on Oracle create room to negotiate strong terms and strategic commitments.00:12:44 Installed base path to AI value - Benefits of AI live in the cloud: Fusion for apps and OCI for tech; BYOL eases the move.00:13:24 Expect harder Oracle push to cloud - Stronger GTM motions will highlight concrete AI/business value to drive migrations.00:14:09 Start with your Oracle strategy, then engage - Define the enterprise roadmap first; invite Oracle to align capabilities and structure the right deal. 

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 verifiable feature use.SaaS vendors should proactively enable usage (training, outreach, no cost resources…etc.)Most customers underutilize features—don’t pay for what you don’t use, certainly don’t pay more for airFor more innovative IT sourcing and risk mitigation insights, ⁠subscribe⁠ to the UpperEdge newsletter and follow UpperEdge on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ and ⁠Twitter⁠.

In 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 - ⁠Microsoft Ends EA Volume Discounts: What It Means and How to Respond⁠VIDEO - ⁠Microsoft Ends EA Volume Discounts – What It Means for You⁠About the Show:Welcome 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.For more innovative IT sourcing and risk mitigation insights, ⁠subscribe⁠ to the UpperEdge newsletter and follow UpperEdge on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ and ⁠Twitter⁠.

In 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 mitigation insights, ⁠subscribe⁠ to the UpperEdge newsletter and follow UpperEdge on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ and ⁠Twitter⁠.

Effective 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 ⁠LinkedIn⁠ and ⁠Twitter⁠.

Microsoft 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 and ⁠Twitter⁠.

In this episode of Insights for IT Negotiations, UpperEdge’s Ryan McGhee joins John Belden and Kylie Chisholm to explore how generative AI is influencing SAP S/4HANA brownfield transformations. From productivity claims and risk mitigation to transparency challenges and use case development, the conversation uncovers what IT leaders need to know before engaging their system integrators. Learn how to separate hype from value, ask the right questions, and prepare your environment to fully leverage AI’s potential without sacrificing control or incurring hidden costs.ResourcesBLOG – ⁠Rethinking Transformation Strategy in an AI-First World: AI is Changing SAP Strategy. Is Your Business Ready?⁠BLOG - ⁠Brownfield and the AI Gap: What Your SI Isn’t Telling You and Why It’s More Complex Than It Looks⁠Want to go deeper? ⁠Contact us⁠ to discuss how we can support your transformation strategy.