So story time! We optimize AWS bills-and sometimes that includes negotiating @awscloud contracts on behalf of our customers. This is a deeply held secret unless you Google for "aws contract negotiation."
An @awscloud account manager for one of our customers rotated out onto a different account because it had been 20 minutes or whatever, and we randomly encountered them on a new customer six months later.
"Hey, it's great to be working with you folks again!" they gushed. "Oh hey, while I've got your attention, quick question. Do you know anyone who negotiates @awscloud contracts? I have a customer asking."
You probably know where this is going.
"Yes, we do. Us. We do this a lot. Including six months ago, with your previous customer. And you. Remember?"
"Wait, that was a negotiation?!"
"Yes, we do. Us. We do this a lot. Including six months ago, with your previous customer. And you. Remember?"
"Wait, that was a negotiation?!"
It's an old-school way of thinking; that negotiations are inherently contentious.
Remember--when you're negotiating an @awscloud contract (or any cloud vendor), don't lose sight of the fact that you have to work with these folks after the deal is signed.
Remember--when you're negotiating an @awscloud contract (or any cloud vendor), don't lose sight of the fact that you have to work with these folks after the deal is signed.
If handled correctly, the customer gets better terms on the things they *actually* care about, and AWS finds that the conversations move a LOT faster because we can avoid the usual pitfalls and rabbit holes.
"We want better SLAs on service X."
You won't get them. Nobody will get them. You can have your outside counsel spend six weeks arguing with their lawyers, or you can take my word for it. I'd suggest the latter.
You won't get them. Nobody will get them. You can have your outside counsel spend six weeks arguing with their lawyers, or you can take my word for it. I'd suggest the latter.
"We get better discounts with higher commit levels. What's the correct commitment level so we don't either leave money on the table or overcommit?"
* @mike_julian fires up the spreadsheet @petecheslock built*
* @mike_julian fires up the spreadsheet @petecheslock built*
This is a key example. As engineers we think of SLAs very differently than attorneys do. They may as well be two separate terms.
https://twitter.com/_morre_/status/1357385908736131075?s=20
Ask me no questions, I'll tell you no lies, but at least once I've gotten carried away on a pricing negotiation and triggered a price change globally.
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