Lornefield Pensions Administration / BG-Demo – Negotiation
Callcompleted
Lornefield Pensions Administration · 28 Feb 2023 16:45
Pre-signature negotiation. Finance Manager Morag Lindsay put four numbered questions on invoicing and term. Douglas Baird asked for commercial flexibility as a design partner. Nell Ashcombe offered a first-term discount only, with signature targeted for 17 Mar 2023.
What was said
What this says
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026Pre-signature negotiation. Finance Manager Morag Lindsay put four numbered questions on invoicing and term. Douglas Baird asked for commercial flexibility as a design partner. Nell Ashcombe offered a first-term discount only, with signature targeted for 17 Mar 2023.
What happened: Nell Ashcombe took Douglas Baird, Imogen Hartley and Morag Lindsay through the proposal. Morag asked four questions on deal amount, invoice timing, term start and later additions, and Nell answered each.
Customer view: Douglas said he and Imogen were content with the scope and wanted terms Morag was comfortable with. Morag said she could not agree anything on the commitment herself, so Douglas holds the decision.
Commercial: Douglas asked for flexibility as an early design partner. Nell said discounting is limited and only on the first term, and asked in return for a named owner, monthly feedback and an agreed start date.
Watch: The term start is left for Imogen to confirm with Daniel, and the revised order form was to follow that week. Signature was targeted for 17 Mar 2023.
Themes
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026Who was there
BG-Demo
Them
Follow-up
Next steps
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026- Nell to send the revised order form that week with Morag's four points and the invoice triggers written down.
- Imogen to confirm the start date with Daniel so it can appear on the order form.
- Douglas to review and return the order form ahead of the 17 Mar 2023 target.
Risks
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026- The term start date is not yet agreed and depends on Imogen confirming it with Daniel.
- Morag has no authority to commit, so signature depends on Douglas returning the order form in good time.
Opportunities
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026- Douglas said he and Imogen are content with the scope, so signature looks close.
- Later additions of users or connectors would be new invoiced lines under the same terms.
Transcript
Nell AshcombeHello everyone. I can see Douglas and Imogen. Is that Morag joining? Hello Morag, I'm Nell.
Morag LindsayHello, yes, Morag Lindsay, finance. Douglas asked me to join. I'm afraid I'll have a few questions.- Nell AshcombeGood, that's what I hoped. Before we start, what would each of you like to leave this call with?
Douglas BairdThank you, Nell. Where things stand is that Imogen and I are content with the scope, and I'd like us to settle the commercial terms in a manner that Morag is comfortable with, so that we are in a position to sign.
Imogen HartleyAnd I'd like us to keep the momentum. Let's make it count.- Morag LindsayMine is simple. I'd like to be clear on what we would be invoiced, when, and for what period. I've got the proposal in front of me and I've got four numbered questions, if that's all right.
- Nell AshcombeGo ahead, Morag. Numbered is perfect.
- Morag LindsayOne. The deal amount on the proposal. Can you confirm what that covers, and whether it's an annual figure?
- Nell AshcombeYes. It's the total value of the deal. It includes the one-off implementation fee. So it's not an annual price. The order form splits it into the implementation and the annual subscription as separate lines.
- Morag LindsayThank you. So for our records, there are two charges, not one.
- Nell AshcombeTwo charges. One for the implementation at the start, one for the subscription.
- Morag LindsayTwo. When is each one invoiced?
- Nell AshcombeThe subscription is annual, in advance, on thirty-day terms. The implementation fee is a fixed fee and I'd propose we invoice it when the work starts. I'm happy to put the exact trigger in writing so there's no doubt.
- Morag LindsayI'd want it in writing, yes. And can you confirm the period that each invoice covers? I'd want the contract period printed on the invoice itself.
- Nell AshcombeThat's a fair thing to ask and that one's easy. The subscription invoice will state the start and end of the twelve-month term. The implementation invoice will say it's one-off and not part of a period. I'll make sure our team does it that way.
- Morag LindsayThank you. Three. If the start date moves, does the term move with it, or does the clock start on signature?
- Nell AshcombeGood question. I'd say the term starts at a start date we agree in the order form, rather than at signature. Daniel will want to confirm it with Imogen so the implementation and the term line up.
- Imogen HartleyYes. I'd rather we started once my team has the time, not while two of them are away. We can agree it.
- Morag LindsayThen I'd ask that the agreed start date appears on the order form. Four. If we ask for more users or connectors later, is that a new invoice or an amendment to this one?
- Nell AshcombeA new line, with its own invoice, and it would be priced against the same terms. We'd never change an existing invoice. You'd always have a clean record for the original and a separate record for anything added.
- Morag LindsayThat's clear. Thank you. I should say, I can't agree anything on the commitment myself. That would be for Douglas.
- Douglas BairdQuite right, Morag, and thank you for the rigour. Nell, in fairness, I did want to ask whether there is any flexibility on the commercial side, given that we are being asked to move early as a design partner.
- Nell AshcombeI'll be direct, Douglas. Discounting is limited, and only on the first term. What I can do is look at it as part of the design partnership. I'd rather give you something you can rely on than make a big gesture and then have to walk it back.
- Douglas BairdI'd welcome that. And what would you need from us in return?
- Nell AshcombeThree things. A named owner on your side, which I'm assuming is Imogen. Honest feedback every month or so. And a start date we've both agreed, so the implementation team can plan.
- Imogen HartleyI'm happy to be the owner. I've been the one asking for it, after all.
- Douglas BairdThen I think we are close. May I suggest that you send the revised order form, with Morag's points reflected, and I will aim to have it considered and returned in good time.
- Nell AshcombeThat works. We've been working to Friday 17 March 2023 as the date we'd like it signed by, so there's a fortnight or so of slack. I'll get you the order form this week, Morag's four points in it, the invoice triggers written down, and the start date left for Imogen to confirm with Daniel.
- Morag LindsayMany thanks. I'll review it with the proposal alongside.
- Douglas BairdThank you, Nell. Kind regards to you.
- Nell AshcombeBest, Nell. Thanks all.