New State Data Protection Acts Mean Enterprises Need to Act - Part 1
Release Date: 08/02/2021
CCaaS and UCaaS Sourcing: How to Compare Offers, Not Stories
Staying Connected
Sourcing CCaaS and UCaaS can appear straightforward, that is until the proposals arrive. If customers don’t force comparability early, the decision can turn into a contest of narratives instead of a rigorous evaluation of cost, scope, accountability and operating risk. In this 11-minute episode of Staying Connected, is joined by TC2’s to discuss how customers can structure CCaaS and UCaaS sourcing so suppliers actually show their work. Tony and Julie explore why licensing, migration, voice, AI features, usage-based costs, responsibility matrices and contract terms need to be clear before...
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From Invoice Fire Drill to a Baseline You Can Trust
Staying Connected
A polished report, monthly invoice or TEM dashboard doesn’t necessarily give customers a baseline they can trust. In complex technology environments, contracts, invoices, inventories and ownership records often drift apart as services change, sites move and suppliers bill differently. When the baseline is wrong, strategy, sourcing decisions, savings targets, and budgets are built on shaky ground. In this episode of Staying Connected, is joined by TC2’s to discuss how enterprise customers can move from invoice fire drills to a defensible and actionable baseline by connecting contracts,...
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How to Turn a Network Rate Review into Real Leverage
Staying Connected
A rate review is more than a routine supplier meeting. Done poorly, it can produce a modest price reduction while giving the supplier more term, more commitment and better control over the next negotiation. Customers need to understand the baseline, market position, service mix and strategic roadmap before trading flexibility for short-term savings. In this 10-minute episode of Staying Connected, is joined by TC2’s to discuss how customers can turn rate reviews into real leverage events. Tony and Larry explore how benchmarking, service segmentation, contract guardrails and negotiation...
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How to Make a Global Network Roadmap Executable
Staying Connected
A network transformation roadmap can look robust on a slide, but if enterprise customers go to market before all the details. steps and sequencing are clear, the sourcing process can quickly expose gaps in the baseline, stakeholder alignment, contract timing and migration readiness. In this 8-minute episode of Staying Connected, is joined by TC2’s to discuss how enterprise customers can ensure a network transformation roadmap is truly executable before launching an RFP. Tony and Brent explore why the baseline, sourcing structure, contract planning and migration timing all need to align...
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IT Strategy That Survives the Renewal Calendar
Staying Connected
A renewal date is not a strategy, it’s a deadline. But in many enterprise technology environments, contract expirations, supplier proposals and budget cycles start driving decisions that should be tied to a larger strategic roadmap. When that happens, customers lose leverage, accept unfavorable contract extensions or lock in terms that limit flexibility before they have time to build better options. In this 11-minute episode of Staying Connected, is joined by TC2’s to discuss how customers can connect renewal calendars to technology strategy, sourcing plans, contract mechanics and...
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"Who Did I Just Buy This From?” — Negotiating SaaS Deals Through Cloud Marketplaces and Resellers
Staying Connected
Enterprise SaaS deals are moving to cloud marketplaces — and resellers are often in the driver’s seat. But what looks like a fast, seamless purchase can quickly turn into a legal maze, with three sets of terms and hidden risks around pricing, support, data protection, liability, and termination. In this episode of Staying Connected, Tony Mangino and LB3 Partner Deb Boehling break down the three-party contracting triangle, expose the pitfalls of flow-through obligations, and share practical strategies for legal and procurement teams to protect their interests. If you want to avoid...
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Why the New Verizon/BT Joint Venture Should Get the Attention of Every Enterprise Customer
Staying Connected
Last Monday, Verizon and BT unexpectedly announced a joint venture that would combine their international enterprise operations. The new business is expected to serve more than 3,000 customers across more than 180 countries, representing roughly $4 billion in combined annual revenue. Their enterprise customers were the last to know. The proposed Verizon/BT joint venture raises an important question for enterprise customers with multinational operations: is this proposed JV simply a new international platform, or is it a signal that Verizon is effectively exiting...
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My Invoice Doesn’t Match My Contract, What Do I Do Now?
Staying Connected
When an invoice doesn’t match the contract, customers need a structured way to understand what was negotiated, what is being used, what the supplier is billing, and where the mismatch is occurring. Without that discipline, recurring billing issues can undermine cost management, renewal readiness, supplier accountability, and confidence in the baseline. In this 12-minute episode of Staying Connected, is joined by TC2’s and to discuss how enterprise customers can move from invoice frustration to fact-based review, contract compliance, service inventory validation, and root-cause...
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Why Cost Creep Happens Even in Well-Run IT Environments
Staying Connected
Cost creep does not necessarily mean an enterprise negotiated a bad deal or lacks robust cost controls. In complex technology environments, spend can rise simply because ordinary changes pile up: legacy services linger, disconnects are incomplete, invoices drift from contract terms, pricing becomes stale, and ownership gets fragmented. Without an active governance model, small issues can quietly become the new baseline. In this 11-minute episode of Staying Connected, is joined by TC2’s to discuss why cost creep happens even in well-run IT environments and how...
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Benchmark the Deal, Not Just the Price
Staying Connected
A supplier discount or individual price point is not the same thing as a market benchmark. In complex enterprise technology deals, a proposal can look competitive on the surface while leaving major cost, commitment, flexibility, and contract risk untouched. Enterprise customers need to understand not only whether the price is competitive, but whether the overall deal will hold up over time. In this 11-minute episode of Staying Connected, is joined by TC2’s to discuss benchmarking as a strategic capability - not just a pricing exercise. Tony and Larry explore how market intelligence can...
info_outlineIn May 2018, the European Union adopted the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to provide sweeping data protections for consumers. It didn’t take long before this type of regulation made its way to the US, first landing in California as the California Data Protection Act (CCPA), and similar laws are now rolling out in Virginia, Colorado, and soon many other states.
Listen to this 9 minute part one of a two-part podcast where LB3 Partners Deb Boehling and Laura McDonald talk with TC2’s Joe Schmidt about what these Acts mean for enterprise buyers of technology.
If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Contract Compliance & Optimization, Strategy Development Services and Success Stories webpages.