Introduce competition as an alternative to motivate Dun & Bradstreet to offer better pricing. Clearly outline that you are considering other options that provide equivalent services at lower costs. This makes it apparent that you have a fallback, putting pressure on Dun & Bradstreet to justify their value and pricing.
Discuss overage fees now to see if they can be negotiated down or waived entirely. Using the historical usage data can strengthen your case that you have not consistently exceeded thresholds and that having these fees burdens any potential growth.
Highlight your intention to reduce the scope of usage as part of the negotiation due to budget constraints. Present the argument that the significant increase in pricing is unjustified considering the potential reduction of usage and the offerings at other companies. This could lead to a reassessment of the contract’s terms.
Challenge the notion of whether discounts offered are genuinely one-time only. By leveraging previous contracts, insist that discounts should be carried over to future renewals unless explicitly stated otherwise. This creates an opportunity for long-term savings and encourages the supplier to be flexible.
Demand that the auto-renewal clause be removed from the contract. This can serve as a lever by suggesting alternative suppliers that don’t impose such conditions and argue that this new requirement is a financial obligation from your finance/legal team that must be adhered to.