Presenting a competitor's quote as part of the negotiation can be a strong tactic. Let the Fellow representative know about any competitor that offers similar functionality at a lower price. Be transparent about your constraints regarding the budget and that finance has insisted on exploring alternatives, increasing your leverage to negotiate a better deal.

Address overage fees during the discussion. Reference any historical usage patterns and underutilization that contradict the proposed charges. Emphasize that as a loyal customer, you expect to avoid overages and may need to evaluate alternatives if they can't be waived. This could foster a cooperative atmosphere while also highlighting your leverage as an existing customer.

If you are planning on expanding your team or user base significantly, use this growth to negotiate lower rates on per-user pricing. The expectation should be that increased user counts should result in a reduced rate per user, as most providers understand that customer growth is beneficial for them as well.

If your usage has decreased or you feel you're being charged for services that are no longer necessary, leverage this to push back against any proposed rate increase. Emphasize that your budget can't accommodate the rate increase presented and propose a new pricing structure that reflects your current usage levels.

Ask to have the auto-renewal clause removed entirely from the contract. This provides you the ability to negotiate again in the future and keeps the leverage on your side. It's crucial to highlight that compliance with internal finance requirements has become non-negotiable for your team, and securing this term is critical to move forward.