Removing auto-renewal clauses gives you increased flexibility during negotiations and ensures you are not locked into unfavorable terms. Emphasize that your finance/legal teams have mandated this change to move forward. This tactic allows for periodic evaluations of the pricing and terms.

Address overage fees during renewal conversations, making them negotiable or potentially waived entirely. By referencing your original agreement and discussing your current usage patterns, you can create a case for adjusting or removing these fees to help manage costs more effectively.

Presenting alternative options as part of your negotiation can significantly improve your leverage. Indicate that you are evaluating other service providers and highlight any cost savings they offer. This tactic can help you secure lower prices or better terms from DigitalOcean.

Challenge any proposed uplifts during renewal discussions based on strict budget constraints or expectations of flat pricing. Use your historical usage data and competitive quotes to argue against unexpected increases.

If DigitalOcean requires upgrades or additional features, leverage competitive offerings that do not include such increments at extra cost. This positioning can lead to discounts or waivers for the services you need for compliance or security.