What was said
What this says
Current to 13 Oct 26On 11 Mar 2024 Lornefield discussed moving from Starter to Growth at a deal value of £44k in total. Douglas Baird signs, with a target close of Wednesday 20 March 2024. Finance wants the periods and the split written down.
What happened: Nell Ashcombe and Owen Tallis negotiated the expansion with Douglas, Imogen and Morag Lindsay. Douglas said the team wants to take the brain to a second team.
Customer view: Imogen says usage is up and one team is the limit, because member-query staff keep asking for the same view. Douglas praised her team for making the case on evidence.
Commercial: Owen quoted £44k as the whole deal, not the annual subscription. Morag asked that the order form show the subscription, the one-off set-up and the start and end dates.
Watch: Morag cannot agree anything without Douglas, and the trustees want to see reporting before relying on it. The call does not show whether the order form was signed.
Themes
Current to 9 Oct 26Who was there
BB-Demo
Them
Follow-up
Next steps
Current to 9 Oct 26- Owen Tallis sends the order form to Douglas Baird and Imogen Hartley by the end of that week, with periods and the split on its face.
- Morag Lindsay receives the periods in writing, showing how the Growth term sits against the Starter end of 2 Apr 2024.
- Douglas and Imogen review the paper, aiming at signature on Wednesday 20 March 2024.
Risks
Current to 9 Oct 26- Finance needs the order form to state periods and the subscription and set-up split, or the £44,000 may be misread as annual.
- Douglas must sign, and the trustees want to see any reporting before relying on it, so the date could slip.
Opportunities
Current to 9 Oct 26- Growth would bring a second team of member-query staff, more users and connectors, and the dashboards builder.
- Imogen wants a sponsor on the customer side, which supports adoption across more teams.
Transcript
- Nell Ashcombe NoneHello, hello. Can you hear me all right? I've got a bit of an echo on my side.
- Imogen Hartley NoneClear as a bell here. Hello, Nell. Douglas is just sitting down next to me, he's finding the camera.
- Douglas Baird NoneGood afternoon, Nell. Good afternoon, all. Apologies, I'm not entirely at home with this button. Is that me now?
- Nell Ashcombe NoneThat's you, Douglas. Owen's joining from the train, so if he drops out, that's the signal, not us.
- Owen Tallis NoneI'm here, I'm here. Tunnel permitting. Afternoon everyone. Morag, good to see you, I don't think we've met.
- Morag Lindsay NoneAfternoon. Yes, I'm the one who pays the invoices. I've the last one open in front of me, in case it's useful.
- Nell Ashcombe NoneIt will be. Right, before we start, what does each of you need to leave with today? Douglas, you first, if I may.
- Douglas Baird NoneThank you, Nell. In fairness, I'd like to summarise where we stand, if that's acceptable. We've been with you for a year, near enough. Imogen's team has had a good run with the brain, the trustees have seen what it does with the call notes and the member queries, and there is now a wish to take it to a second team. What I need is to be clear on the shape of the commercial proposal, and to know that Morag has what she needs on the finance side. I'd welcome a conversation on both.
- Nell Ashcombe NoneGood. That's very clear. Imogen?
- Imogen Hartley NoneThe real question is whether we do this properly. Usage is up on last quarter, which is lovely, but we're bumping against what one team can do. The scheme-relationship managers use it daily. The people who handle member queries keep asking if they can have the same view. I'd like them in, with a sponsor on our side, and I'd like it to count.
- Owen Tallis NoneCan I come in there? Where we stand against the date: the expected close is Wednesday 20 March 2024. That's what's in our system. Is that still the right date for you, Douglas?
- Douglas Baird NoneIt is a reasonable date, Owen. I'd not wish to hurry it, but I see no reason for it to slip, provided the paper is in good order.
- Owen Tallis NoneFine. And who signs?
- Douglas Baird NoneI do. The group's position is that anything of this size comes across my desk, and I'd take it from there.
- Owen Tallis NoneGood. Then let me say where the number is, so nobody's guessing. You're on Starter today, £19,500 a year, fifteen users. The expansion to Growth is a deal value of £44,000 in total, and that's the whole deal, so it's the figure that goes on the order form. I'd rather we talk about one number and not circle round it.
- Morag Lindsay NoneSorry, Owen, can I stop you there? When you say in total, do you mean for a year, or for something else? Because for our records I need to know what period the figure covers.
- Owen Tallis NoneFair challenge. £44,000 is the value of the deal as a whole. It isn't the annual subscription on its own, so please don't book it as one. The order form will split what is subscription and what is the one-off set-up, with the period on it.
- Morag Lindsay NoneThank you. That's what I wanted. So, two things. One, the current invoice, which covers the Starter term to the second of April 2024, that's been paid on the run, so nothing outstanding there. Two, I'll need the new paper to say the start date and the end date, not just the amount.
- Nell Ashcombe NoneThat's on us to make clear, Morag. Starter ends on 2 Apr 2024 and the renewal date we hold is 3 Apr 2024. So we'll write down plainly how the Growth term sits against that, and you'll have it in one document.
- Morag Lindsay NoneGood. And I'd not be able to agree to anything new today in any case. I'd need Douglas's sign-off above me. I'm only saying what I need to see.
- Douglas Baird NoneQuite right, Morag. Nobody is asking you to.
- Imogen Hartley NoneCan I ask about the practical side? If we move to Growth, what changes for the people already using it? I don't want my current team having a bumpy fortnight while the new group is set up.
- Nell Ashcombe NoneWhat would the brain say? Honestly, nothing changes for them on day one. Same connectors, same pages, same chat. What you gain is room for more teams and users, more connectors if you want them, and the dashboards builder. Daniel looks after you as customer success, and he'd plan the set-up so the first team isn't disturbed.
- Imogen Hartley NoneRight. And the dashboards, would they be ours to build, or would you build them?
- Nell Ashcombe NoneYours to build. Daniel would show your people, and your trustees would see them in the shape you choose. We'd help, we'd not do it for you.
- Douglas Baird NoneThat is helpful. The trustees are, in fairness, rather particular about anything that looks like reporting. They'd wish to see it before they rely on it.
- Owen Tallis NoneUnderstood. Then let's put a dated step to it. I can have the order form to Douglas and Morag by the end of this week, with the periods and the split on the face of it. You come back with any questions early next week, and we aim at Wednesday 20 March 2024 for signature.
- Douglas Baird NoneThat would suit me very well. I'd ask that Imogen sees it first, so that the scope matches what she's expecting.
- Imogen Hartley NoneHappy to. Send it to me and Douglas together and I'll read it the same day.
- Owen Tallis NoneDone. Anything else on price, anyone? I'd rather it was all out now than in a week.
- Douglas Baird NoneNo, I think we have what we need. I'd simply record my thanks. Imogen's team have made a case on evidence, and that's what carries weight with me.
- Nell Ashcombe NoneThat's kind, Douglas, and it's theirs to take. Right then. Owen sends the order form by the end of the week, Imogen and Douglas review, Morag gets the periods in writing, and we look to close on the twentieth. Anything I've missed?
- Morag Lindsay NoneNo. Many thanks, all.
- Douglas Baird NoneThank you, Nell. Thank you, Owen. Good afternoon.
- Imogen Hartley NoneSpeak soon. Safe onward journey, Owen.
- Owen Tallis NoneCheers. Bye all.