Customers who present competition as an alternative have seen the best outcome in negotiations. In this scenario, you should identify competitor offerings that provide similar functionality at a lower price. Communicate these alternatives directly to Recurly, mentioning any competitive quotes you have received that are lower than their proposal.
Push back on any proposed uplift in pricing, especially if there has been no significant change in your usage or if your business is experiencing budget constraints. Remind Recurly that previous agreements did not include uplifts, and request that they honor a flat renewal rate for this period.
Emphasize to Recurly the need to remove any auto-renewal clauses in the contract due to internal financial compliance procedures. This enables you to maintain negotiation leverage in future discussions and ensures you can reassess the contract yearly.
Propose your willingness to act as a reference or to participate in a case study as a value-add for Recurly if they can meet your pricing needs. This can be positioned as a win-win that enhances their marketing while potentially giving you a discount.
Push for a commitment from Recurly that they will begin internal approvals based on the projections and data of your expected growth. This can help secure contract terms that reflect your growth without imposing additional costs.
Address the potential for overages in your upcoming contract in conjunction with the pricing negotiations. Reiterate that in your last contract any expected over usage was manageable, and request that they be waived to avoid unexpected costs.