Expert Negotiators

DeBolt and Associates can assist you by bringing expert negotiators to assist your firm in achieving the best possible deal.  Most companies indirect spend is negotiated by people who are not professional negotiators.   This is due the very nature of how indirect spend has evolved.  It is often done by people in the field who needed a product or service and just went out and bought it.  It was an insignificant spend, didn't get a lot of attention and the vendors had their highest margin.  Once consolidated though, the spend is significant and savings opportunities large.  Even then though, you should have a seasoned negotiator as your side.  The vendor on the other side of the table not only negotiates for a living,  but negotiates that very commodity everyday of their business life.  Unless you have someone with you that understands their business and is a good negotiator, your company is ripe to be picked.   Even when you have someone that understands the business, it does not mean they are a good negotiator.

Here are some examples:

Settled a Directors and Officers claim with insurers for twice the amount outside counsel handling the claim said we would recover.

Through several years of negotiation and creative marketing, removed the corporate excess liability umbrella program from the London market for less than half the expiring premium, all while the company continued to grow.   

The corporate team headed by inside legal counsel negotiates over several weeks for a new contract for  equipment.  They knocked off 10% off the currently price and are ready to sign the contract.  Mark DeBolt assumes control of the negotiations and the final deal is signed for less than half of the original cost.  Starting point: $2.1 million.  Final deal: $900K.  Money originally left on the table - almost $1.0 million.

Lead negotiations for a global common general ledger installation and migration contract with a prominent accounting firm.  Original bid $40 million.  Result: contract signed at one-tenth the original bid.

IT is ripe for negotiation.  Most IT departments as a strategy prefer not to negotiate hard with IT vendors.  DeBolt and Associates can do that for you.  As example, DeBolt renegotiated a corporate mainframe outsourcing contract that was originally negotiated by the former CIO of a fortune 100 company, but with a 30% reduction in fees.  The former CIO certainly understood the business.

Strategic Contract Negotiations Support 

For companies that want to control the negotiations themselves, DeBolt & Associates will join you at the negotiation table and guide you step by step to help your firm achieve the best possible outcome.  This is a very desirable process because it transfers negotiation skills to your employees.

For details on areas of expertise, see tabs "About Us" and  'Résumé's"