No fluff. No vendor-sponsored opinion. Direct, experience-backed perspective on the decisions that matter — written from 25 years inside the industry.
Most managed services contracts describe a comprehensive scope of services. Very few define where managed services end and project work begins. That undefined boundary is where the money goes. After 1,000+ RFPs on the vendor side, I can tell you exactly how vendors exploit it — and what your contract needs to say.
Read Article →The monthly fee is the least interesting number in a managed services proposal. After 1,000+ RFPs on the vendor side, I can tell you exactly where the real margin recovery happens — and what buyers consistently miss.
Most organisations apply the same ARC/RRC deadband structure across all service towers. That approach is commercially indefensible for fixed-floor towers — and vendors know it. Here is the framework that protects you.
By the time deterioration shows up in SLA metrics, the underlying causes have been present for months. These five signals appear earlier — and most buyers miss them entirely until renewal time.
An SLA credit that costs the vendor less than the service improvement it is supposed to motivate is not a remedy — it is a budget line. Here is how to build SLA remedy structures that create genuine commercial accountability.
Where you sit on the outsourcing generation spectrum determines what is realistically achievable — and most buyers never assess their position before building the business case.
Technical milestones hit on time. Systems went live on schedule. By week four, escalation volume was three times the baseline. The transition was technically successful and organisationally catastrophic. Here is what was missing.
Your vendor's AI system is learning from your customer interactions. In most standard contracts, they own what it learns. This is not hypothetical — it is in the terms. Here is what to look for and what your contract needs to say.
AI strategy is now a leadership obligation, not an IT project. But most organisations are not ready for a full-time AI executive. Here is what a fractional engagement looks like in practice and the four signals that tell you it is time.
The EU AI Act is no longer forthcoming — it is live and active implementation timelines are running. If you are buying AI services, the compliance obligations are already yours. Here is what you need in your contracts now.
The most dangerous words in a managed security services contract are "we support your compliance obligations." That is assistance — not coverage. The distinction is commercially significant and most buyers miss it entirely.
Ransomware has evolved from encryption to triple extortion — encrypt, exfiltrate, and threaten third parties. Most MSSP contracts were written before this model existed. Here is where the gaps are and how to close them.
Every MSSP engagement involves a shared responsibility model. Most buyers do not know where their responsibility ends and the vendor's begins — until something goes wrong. Here is how to map it contractually.
Most CCaaS procurement processes evaluate platforms. The organisations that get the best results evaluate outcomes — and build their contracts around them. Here is the commercial model that aligns vendor incentives with your CX objectives.
AI agent assist is the fastest-growing capability claim in the CCaaS market. Most organisations buying it do not understand how it is priced, what the data rights provisions say, or what AI-ready infrastructure actually requires.
Outcome-based commercial models in CX outsourcing can align vendor incentives powerfully — or create disputes that run for years. The difference is in the design.
Generic vendor proposals are a deliberate strategy. Vendors know the real decision happens in orals. Here is how the best buyers use this knowledge to their advantage in every procurement.
Not all technology advisors are independent. The compensation model tells you everything you need to know about whose interests are being served. Here are the questions to ask before you engage anyone to represent you.
The monthly fee is where the negotiation starts. The total cost of ownership is where the business case lives or dies. Most organisations model the former and ignore the latter until year two.
If you're navigating a managed services procurement, evaluating AI vendors, or need fractional CxO leadership — let's talk.
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