Penmaen Software / BG-Demo – Check In
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Penmaen Software · 15 Sep 2025 13:45
On 15 Sep 2025 Marcus Bell showed average active users down to about seven of 40, nearly a quarter lower than the previous quarter. Cerys Llewellyn blamed stretched staff, not faults, but said her finance people will ask what they get.
What was said
What this says
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026On 15 Sep 2025 Marcus Bell showed average active users down to about seven of 40, nearly a quarter lower than the previous quarter. Cerys Llewellyn blamed stretched staff, not faults, but said her finance people will ask what they get.
What happened: Marcus opened with the usage dip. One how-to ticket and nothing high priority were open.
Customer view: Cerys said holidays are part of it, but her team is stretched with fewer hands and the same operators. She said she is not unhappy with the brain, only with how it has been used.
Commercial: The contract is £48k a year, matching the invoices, with the term to 24 Jul 2026 and renewal on 25 Jul 2026. Cerys warned finance will ask what the spend delivers if usage stays low.
Watch: The evidence does not show the renewal outcome. Marcus owns the value case and Tom Ashdown the price.
Themes
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026Theme
Usage dip, value case
Importance
renewal
Sentiment
mixed
Voice
champion
Who was there
BG-Demo
CRMmade from
Them
CRMmade from
Follow-up
Next steps
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026- Marcus Bell sends Cerys a usage breakdown by role and runs a small working session within the next couple of weeks.
- Cerys Llewellyn sends names of the renewals managers by the end of the week and times early the next week.
- Marcus Bell checks in after the session to see whether the usage line has turned.
Risks
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026- Average active users of about seven against 40 licensed, down nearly a quarter, leave the subscription hard to justify.
- Cerys expects her finance people to question the spend if usage stays at this level.
- Stretched staff are skipping operator reviews, which is when the brain gets used.
Opportunities
As at Fri 9 Oct 2026- A focused session for the three or four renewals managers who run operator reviews, built on live data.
- A usage breakdown by role could show where the drop is and give Cerys a clearer case.
Transcript
Marcus BellHi Cerys. Afternoon. Can you see my screen yet, or shall I wait a second?
Cerys LlewellynHiya. Afternoon, Marcus. Yes, I can see something. Is that the usage dashboard?- Marcus BellIt is. I'll be straight with you, I wanted to cover the usage dip, because it's the thing that stood out when I pulled the numbers. Then the ticket position, and then what we do about it.
- Cerys LlewellynFunny, because my team asked me this week why the brain's been so quiet. One of my renewals managers said she'd barely opened it. So it's on my mind too.
- Marcus BellRight, so you're not surprised. Okay. So the average number of active users over the last month is about seven. Against forty licensed. And that's down by nearly a quarter compared with the previous quarter.
- Cerys LlewellynHm. Yeah. That's more than I'd have said, to be honest. I thought it had dipped a bit, but not that much.
- Marcus BellI'd rather show you than guess. If you look at this line here, it's been fairly steady and then it drops away over the summer. Which could be holidays, I'm not saying it's more than that. But I didn't want to just send you a PDF and let you find it.
- Cerys LlewellynNo, I appreciate that. Holidays is part of it. August is always dead for us. But I think it's more than that, if I'm honest. A couple of the people who used it most have been pulled onto other things, and we've been stretched.
- Marcus BellStretched how, if you don't mind me asking? Is it more work, or fewer people?
- Cerys LlewellynA bit of both. Fewer hands, same number of operators to look after. So the first thing that goes is anything that feels optional. And the brain, well, they use it when they're preparing for a review, and if there's no time for reviews...
- Marcus BellThen it doesn't get opened. Yeah. That makes sense.
- Cerys LlewellynMm. And I don't love that. Because I've seen this work, I know what it does when people use it every week. It's the opposite of extra work, that's the whole point.
- Marcus BellAgreed. Can I ask, is it that the people left, or that they're still there but busy?
- Cerys LlewellynStill there, just busy. And I think a couple of them have forgotten how much it can answer. We did that session a while back and then life happened.
- Marcus BellOkay. That's useful. Because it changes what I'd suggest. Let me do the tickets quickly so we've got the full picture. You've had one ticket in the last month, it's a normal how-to, and there's nothing high priority. So nothing's broken from your side that would explain the drop.
- Cerys LlewellynNo, nothing like that. If it had been broken I'd have shouted. Loudly.
- Marcus BellI know you would. Which is why I'm reading the quiet as people being busy, rather than people being unhappy. But I might be wrong, so tell me if I am.
- Cerys LlewellynYou're not far off. I'm not unhappy with it. I'm a bit unhappy with how we've been using it, which is different.
- Marcus BellFair distinction. Okay, so what would help? I could run another working session, small group, on your own operators, like we did before but more focused. Half an hour, happy to jump on a call whenever suits.
- Cerys LlewellynYes. And let's start with the team who'll use it. Not everyone. The renewals managers, the three or four who actually run operator reviews. If they get value in the first ten minutes, they'll tell the others.
- Marcus BellGood. I'd build it around the question you always ask, which customers are at the edge. Live, with real tickets and real renewal dates, so they walk away with something they'd otherwise have spent an afternoon on.
- Cerys LlewellynOh, you've been listening. Yes. That's it exactly.
- Marcus BellCan't take the credit, you've said it every time we've spoken. Now, the contract. You're contracted at £48,500 a year, which is what's been invoiced, and the term runs to 24 Jul 2026, so renewal is 25 Jul 2026. That's a good while off.
- Cerys LlewellynRight. So there's time. But I'll be honest, if usage stays like this, my finance people will ask what we're getting for it. That's a reasonable question.
- Marcus BellIt is, and I'd rather we had a good answer well before then. That's why I'd like to get the numbers moving now, not in the spring. I'm not going to talk price with you, that's Tom's side, but the value case is mine.
- Cerys LlewellynOkay. Good. And Tom's still the right person for commercial?
- Marcus BellTom Ashdown, yes. Nothing's changed there.
- Cerys LlewellynFine. So what do you need from me?
- Marcus BellTwo things. Names of the renewals managers who should come, and a slot in the next couple of weeks. In return I'll send you a usage breakdown by role, so you can see where the drop is, rather than just the headline.
- Cerys LlewellynBrilliant. Send it to me and I'll look before I speak to the team. I'll get you names by the end of the week and some times early next week.
- Marcus BellLovely. Then I'll check in again after the session and we'll see whether the line has turned. Anything else on your mind?
- Cerys LlewellynNo, I think that's the lot. Thanks for being upfront about it, Marcus. Diolch.
- Marcus BellNo problem at all. Speak soon, Cerys. Thanks.
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