Hollins Tarrant / BG-Demo – Negotiation
Callcompleted
Hollins Tarrant · 30 Nov 2023 16:30
Rob Ellery, Managing Director, objected to the total price for a firm of Hollins Tarrant's size. Owen Tallis held the price and offered quarterly invoicing. Rob will consult Jenna before deciding, with a plan to close on 13 Dec 2023.
What was said
What this says
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026Rob Ellery, Managing Director, objected to the total price for a firm of Hollins Tarrant's size. Owen Tallis held the price and offered quarterly invoicing. Rob will consult Jenna before deciding, with a plan to close on 13 Dec 2023.
What happened: Rob raised price as the blocker against the planned close on 13 Dec 2023. Owen explained the figure is the total for the deal, including the fixed one-off set-up, not an annual charge.
Customer view: Rob wants it lower and worries about paying up front in a year when hiring has slowed. He called Owen's candour more honest than he expected.
Commercial: Owen did not move the price and noted discounts apply to the first term only. He offered quarterly invoicing instead, which Rob said helps, and Tom Ashdown will write it into the order form.
Watch: Rob signs but will not commit without Jenna Price, who will live with the system. The evidence does not show her view or the final outcome.
Themes
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026Who was there
BG-Demo
Them
Follow-up
Next steps
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026- Tom Ashdown sends the order form with quarterly invoicing and the split of the total on the front page today.
- Rob Ellery speaks to Jenna Price and gives a yes or no by the end of the following week.
- Owen Tallis and Tom Ashdown work to close on 13 Dec 2023.
Risks
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026- Rob finds the total price high for a firm of this size and has not yet agreed.
- Rob will not commit until he has spoken to Jenna Price, whose view is unknown.
- Discounts apply to the first term only, so the price must hold at renewal.
Opportunities
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026- Quarterly invoicing on request answers Rob's cash flow worry without cutting the price.
- Rob responded well to Owen's plain, honest handling of the price.
Transcript
Tom AshdownAfternoon, Rob. Afternoon, Owen. Can you both hear me?
Owen TallisLoud and clear. Afternoon. Thanks for having me on, Rob.
Rob ElleryAfternoon. Dark already here. Bristol in November. Right, how long is this?- Tom AshdownUnder half an hour, Rob. No drama. Owen's joined because you had a question on the price and he's the right person for it.
- Owen TallisLet me start by asking where we are against the date. The plan is to close on Wednesday 13 December 2023. Is there anything between us and that?
- Rob ElleryHonestly, yes. The price. Twenty-five and a half thousand. It's a lot for a firm our size, in a year when hiring's slowed.
- Owen TallisI understand that. Let me be clear on what that figure is. It's the total for the deal. It includes the one-off set-up. It's not what you pay every year. Tom, did the split go to Rob?
- Tom AshdownIt did, with the proposal. I'll resend it after this call so it's on top of the inbox.
- Rob ElleryI saw it. I know it's less in the later years. But what would we be paying for, in the first year, before it's earned anything?
- Owen TallisFair. The set-up is a fixed fee. For that, our team builds the connectors to your CRM and the helpdesk, loads the history, and makes sure it answers correctly on your own data before you rely on it. That's the part that costs us people's time, and it's why it's fixed, so you know the number.
- Rob ElleryRight. I'd still like it lower.
- Owen TallisI'd expect you to ask. Here's where I am. I don't move the price just for the sake of it, and I don't want to discount twice. We don't discount beyond the first term at all, so whatever we agree, we'd have to be comfortable with it at the renewal. I'd rather give you a number that holds than a number that looks good now and hurts you later.
- Rob ElleryThat's more honest than I expected.
- Tom AshdownOwen's like that. It's why I bring him.
- Owen TallisWhat I can do on terms, rather than price: if cash flow in the first year is the worry, we can invoice the subscription quarterly instead of annually in advance. It's on request, so I'd just need you to ask for it.
- Rob ElleryQuarterly. That does help. That's the bit that worries me, paying it all up front.
- Tom AshdownI'll write that into the order form so it's not something we have to remember.
- Owen TallisGood. So, who signs? Is that you, Rob?
- Rob ElleryIt's me. But I'll talk to Jenna first. She's the one who'll live with it. I don't commit without that.
- Owen TallisSensible. What's the next dated step? When would you speak to Jenna?
- Rob ElleryTomorrow, probably. She's in the office. I'll say yes or no by the end of next week.
- Owen TallisEnd of next week. I'll hold you to it, nicely. Tom, can you get the order form to Rob today, with the quarterly invoicing in it and the split of the total clear on the front page?
- Tom AshdownLeave that with me. It'll be with you today, Rob, one short document, the price page marked.
- Rob ElleryGood. That's what I wanted. Thanks, both.
- Owen TallisThanks, Rob. Thanks, Tom.
- Tom AshdownCheers, Rob. Speak soon.