Do More with Less: How Assisted Buying Makes Your Negotiations a Breeze

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Are you finding it challenging to get the right software for your organization at the best price?

If you're short on time and bandwidth for vendor negotiation, ill-informed negotiations might result in missed opportunities for better contract clauses, pricing, and scalability options.

In such a situation, you can opt for assisted buying services.

By hiring expert SaaS buyers and contract negotiators, you can delegate the procurement process and enhance your team's capabilities.

With the expertise of industry professionals, getting the right price, building partnerships, and handling complex contracts become easier.

For simplified vendor negotiations, check out this article for key insights to consider before choosing SaaS buying services.

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TL;DR

• Assisted buying services enable organizations to delegate procurement processes to expert SaaS buyers, enhancing efficiency and securing better pricing and contract terms.
• This strategic approach saves time, allowing in-house teams to focus on core tasks while benefiting from external expertise in vendor negotiations.
• Organizations gain access to valuable price benchmarking data, helping them avoid overpayment for software solutions and optimize costs.
• Assisted buyers conduct thorough vendor research, analyze usage data, and provide insights to strengthen negotiation strategies and support contract renewals.
• CloudEagle offers a platform for streamlined procurement, combining expert negotiation services with tools for managing software usage and accessing updated pricing benchmarks.

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What is assisted buying?

Assisted buying is a strategic process in which SaaS buying/vendor negotiation experts provide guidance and support during procurement. They act as an extended team for your procurement teams, ensuring a smooth and successful process.

These specialized services can make purchasing decisions easier. The goal is to help you make informed choices, optimize purchasing outcomes, and save time and resources.

Assisted buyers help with software selection, negotiation, vendor assessment, and smooth implementation. They thoroughly analyze the vendors and the market and provide expert insights to facilitate effortless negotiation and secure better deals.

They will streamline decision-making and understand your software needs, budget, and desired features. Then, they take action:

• They thoroughly analyze your requirements and preferences to understand your specific needs better.
• Using their expertise and access to market data, they research and identify several project management software options that align with your criteria.
• Armed with market insights and negotiation skills, the assisted buyers negotiate with the software vendors on your behalf to secure the best possible pricing and terms.
• They present a shortlist of software options and recommendations, highlighting each solution's pros and cons based on your needs and budget.
• After deciding, the assisted buyers can offer ongoing support during implementation.

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How assisted purchase helps you choose the right SaaS product

Assisted purchase transforms SaaS selection from guesswork into strategic decision-making through expert-guided evaluation. Specialists analyze your business requirements, leverage comprehensive price benchmarking data and vendor research to shortlist optimal solutions, while validating security requirements and preventing common pitfalls like over-purchasing or misaligned tool selection.

This "we shop with you" approach accelerates evaluation while reducing procurement risk through AI-driven cost optimization and benchmarking insights. Expert guidance aligns selections with your usage requirements, budget, and governance standards, while automated workflows streamline approvals.

You gain market intelligence and negotiation expertise that secures optimal pricing and contract terms for your organization.

What is assisted purchase in SaaS procurement?

What is Assisted Purchase?

• Expert-guided SaaS buying – Collaborative approach combining AI-powered tools + human expertise
• Strategic vendor selection with comprehensive benchmarking data
• Professional contract negotiations handled by specialized partners

The Assisted Purchase Workflow:

• Initial needs assessment – Structured intake process
• Expert vendor research – Shortlisting and evaluation support
• Price benchmarking – Historical pricing trends + market intelligence
• Strategic negotiation – Professional contract management
• Seamless onboarding – Coordinated implementation

Key Benefits:

• ✓ Secure optimal pricing through detailed usage insights
• ✓ Reduce internal resource strain – Focus on core business
• ✓ Access market intelligence without excessive research time
• ✓ Achieve better contract terms and cost savings

Note: Throughout this article, "assisted buying" and "assisted purchase" are used interchangeably – both refer to the same CloudEagle-style expert-guided methodology that helps teams do more with less time, budget, and internal resources.

Assisted Purchase for SaaS: how it supports your buying decisions

Assisted buying for SaaS combines AI-powered pricing intelligence with expert procurement support to help teams secure optimal contracts with minimal effort. Using comprehensive benchmarking data and real-time usage analytics, this approach enables IT, security, and procurement teams to make informed purchasing decisions quickly.

Expert buyers handle vendor research, price negotiations, and contract review while teams maintain full decision authority. This streamlined process reduces procurement cycles from months to weeks, delivering superior pricing and terms across your entire SaaS portfolio while freeing internal resources for strategic work.

Understanding the SaaS buying experience for modern teams

The modern SaaS buying experience is a complex 6-12 week journey involving IT (technical evaluation), security (compliance), procurement (vendor negotiations), and finance (budget approvals), often with minimal coordination.

Each stakeholder faces critical friction: IT battles shadow IT and manual access management; security teams struggle with compliance gaps and unauthorized apps; procurement lacks benchmarking data and battles lengthy approvals; finance deals with budget overruns and poor spend visibility.

Assisted buying solutions like CloudEagle.ai overlay this journey with centralized visibility, automated approval workflows, real-time benchmarking data, and governance guardrails that prevent shadow purchases, integrating with existing tools rather than replacing them.

Key stages in the SaaS buying experience

The SaaS buying experience typically unfolds across six critical stages:

1. discover & define needs (identifying requirements and stakeholder alignment)

2. research & shortlist (vendor evaluation and security reviews)

3. evaluate & validate (proof-of-concept and feature assessment)

4. negotiate & approve (contract terms and budget approvals)

5. purchase & onboard (implementation and user provisioning)

6. renew & optimize (usage analysis and contract optimization)

Assisted buying with CloudEagle's platform transforms this fragmented journey by providing comprehensive visibility through 500+ direct integrations, automated workflows for streamlined approvals, and AI-driven insights that accelerate decision-making at every stage.

During discovery, automated app and spend detection eliminates manual tracking, while evaluation benefits from comprehensive benchmarking data and vendor research.

Negotiation stages leverage expert buyers and pre-negotiated discounts, and renewal optimization utilizes automated calendars with proactive workflows triggered 90 days in advance, ensuring teams never miss critical deadlines while securing optimal contract terms through data-driven negotiations.

Why do organizations prefer assisted buying for SaaS in 2024?

In 2024, organizations increasingly turned to assisted buying, drawn by its simplicity and effectiveness. Let's uncover the major reasons behind this paradigm shift.

1. To save time and increase the productivity of the in-house procurement team

Many companies turn to assisted buying to save time and improve their procurement processes. This approach lets them tap into external expertise to handle the complexities of SaaS procurement, freeing up internal teams for other tasks.

Instead of spending weeks on research and negotiations with multiple vendors, companies can shorten the process with procurement experts with existing relationships and market knowledge.

2. To procure the right product at the right price

With the help of assisted buying services, companies can obtain the right product at the right price. They offer access to extensive price benchmarking data, enabling organizations to compare prices across vendors and make well-informed decisions.

This prevents overpayment for SaaS solutions and ensures maximum value for their investment. For instance, a company seeking project management software can use assisted buyers to compare pricing and features from various vendors.

3. To provide backup to their lean procurement team

Organizations opt for assisted buying to support their small procurement teams. With many companies having lean procurement departments, handling the complex process of SaaS procurement can be tough and time-consuming.

Outsourcing procurement tasks can strengthen your organization's abilities and seize opportunities without resource constraints. For instance, startups can efficiently navigate the process using assisted buying services, avoiding needing extra hires.

4. Access to expertise and price benchmarking data

Access to expertise is a key benefit of assisted buying in SaaS procurement. Their specialized knowledge and experience in the market offer valuable insights and recommendations. This is useful in negotiating contracts and securing favorable terms for organizations.

For example, a company looking for CRM software can benefit from assisted buyers as they will share the market price for the software, including the latest price benchmarks to ensure that the company is paying the right price for the product as their peers.

5. To optimize costs and enhance vendor relationships

With the support of assisted buyers, organizations can effectively optimize costs and foster better vendor relationships. Through their experience and market knowledge, they identify cost-saving opportunities, negotiate favorable terms, and ensure that companies receive maximum value from vendor agreements.

For example, if you're looking to buy new software but are unsure about the best deal or fair pricing, assisted buyers can help.

They will analyze the market to understand price benchmarks and use their negotiation skills to secure better prices, and work closely with vendors to ensure smooth communication. This saves money and fosters a positive partnership with vendors for future collaborations

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Specialized assisted buying services for IT, finance, and security teams

CloudEagle.ai delivers specialized assisted buying services tailored to each team's unique priorities and KPIs.  IT teams receive productivity-focused packages optimizing user onboarding workflows, integration capabilities, and operational efficiency metrics.

Procurement teams benefit from savings-oriented negotiations leveraging comprehensive benchmarking data and vendor consolidation strategies to maximize cost reductions.

Finance teams access specialized budgeting and forecasting support, with assisted buyers providing detailed spend analysis, renewal timeline optimization, and multi-year contract structuring aligned with budget cycles. This role-specific approach goes beyond generic procurement support by addressing each stakeholder's distinct risk profiles, from security's compliance requirements to finance's predictable spend forecasting needs.

The result is targeted assisted buying that delivers measurable outcomes against each team's specific success criteria.

Key features of assisted buying for SaaS negotiations

Assisted buying for SaaS negotiations leverages AI-powered price benchmarking, historical pricing data, and real-time usage analytics to strengthen your negotiation position. Key capabilities include automated renewal workflows, centralized software intake with approval controls, pre-negotiated discounts, and contract intelligence that automatically extracts terms and renewal dates for proactive procurement decisions.

IT teams accelerate approval cycles and reduce vendor research time. Security teams ensure governance-driven negotiations focused on compliance and risk mitigation. Procurement teams access data-driven strategies with real-time industry benchmarks, while finance teams gain predictable spend forecasting. Expert negotiation advisory services deliver strategic guidance without requiring extensive internal resources.

Built on 500+ direct integrations and benchmarking insights from over $20 billion in processed spend, this approach transforms fragmented procurement into streamlined, intelligence-driven negotiations that consistently deliver optimal pricing and terms.

Key players in the assisted buying market for SaaS

Three Primary Assisted Buying Provider Categories:

• Pure-Play Services: Focus exclusively on vendor negotiations and contract optimization, serving mid-market companies
• SaaS Management Platforms: Integrated solutions combining discovery, governance, and procurement support for enterprises with complex portfolios
• Traditional Consulting Firms: Offer assisted buying within broader procurement transformation for large organizations

CloudEagle's AI-Powered Differentiation:

• Unified platform consolidating discovery, governance, renewals, and assisted buying
• 500+ direct SaaS and identity integrations
• Comprehensive benchmarking database with billions in transaction data
• AI-driven insights combined with expert SaaS buyer negotiations
• Pre-negotiated discounts and intelligent workflow automation
• Single platform for application selection and negotiations

Benefits of Consolidation:

• Eliminates vendor fragmentation and data silos
• Enables seamless collaboration across IT, security, and procurement teams
• Provides consistent benchmarking data and automated workflows
• Delivers comprehensive visibility throughout the entire SaaS lifecycle

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How can assisted buyers help your procurement team in negotiation?

When you opt for assisted buying, your procurement process becomes streamlined. Also, you receive expert assistance and valuable market insights to secure the best deals at optimal costs.

With assisted buyers, you can rest assured that they will:

1. Do the heavy lifting of vendor research

Assisted buyers handle the tough task of researching vendors during negotiation. They save your team time and ensure you have all the necessary information.

When searching for new software, they carefully study the market, considering factors such as vendor reputation, product features, pricing, customer reviews, and industry trends.

They check vendor websites, industry reports, customer feedback, and online forums to gather all the needed info. This ensures your team can negotiate confidently based on comprehensive information.

With hundreds of software options available, sifting through them and finding the right solution can be daunting. This is where assisted buyers can help you by taking over the heavy lifting and letting your core team focus on strategic operations.

2. Analyze your team’s usage data and prepare a renewal negotiation plan

Assisted buyers analyze your team's data to determine the best strategies for securing the best deal during contract renewals. Examining your app usage patterns, they identify opportunities to optimize costs and propose money-saving solutions.

Here's an example of how an assisted buyer prepares a renewal negotiation plan:

Let's say your company has used project management software for the past year and wants to renew the contract. The assisted buyer would gather data on your team's software usage. They will look at metrics such as:

• Number of active users: How many on your team regularly use the software?
• Frequency of usage: How often is the software accessed or used by your team members?
• Feature utilization: Which software features are being utilized the most, and which ones are not being used at all?
• Support and maintenance requests: How many support tickets or maintenance requests have your team submitted during the contract period?

If they find only some team members used the software after analyzing the data, they will create a renewal negotiation plan based on these insights. This plan could include recommendations such as:

• Downgrading to a lower-tier plan that better aligns with your team's usage patterns.
• Negotiating for a discounted rate based on the underutilization of certain features.
• Requesting additional training or support services to address any issues or concerns raised during the contract period.

3. Provide insights and tactics to your procurement team

Assisted buyers are negotiation experts who offer priceless help to your procurement team. With their know-how, they guide your team through negotiations seamlessly. Their tips and strategies really make a difference in getting better deals.

For example, they identify cost-saving opportunities or propose alternative solutions that better suit your needs. They recommend a better-priced vendor or negotiate for additional perks like extended support.

In cases where your procurement team takes the lead in vendor negotiations, assisted buyers will provide valuable insights and negotiation tips to support your efforts effectively. Their help ensures your team is ready to handle tricky procurement negotiations and get the best results.

4. Take over the entire negotiation process and save your team’s time

Assisted buyers can be a significant time-saver for your team, especially during negotiations. Instead of your team spending hours coordinating and negotiating with the vendor, the assisted buyer takes charge.

They handle all communication with the vendor, manage negotiations, and ensure smooth progress. This frees up your team to focus on other essential tasks without getting caught up in negotiation details.

To understand how this happens, check out this testimonial from Diego Coria of Nowports, who secured a 34% savings with CloudEagle's effective negotiation.

5. Purchase SaaS without exceeding your budget

Assisted buyers analyze different SaaS prices and negotiate deals that fit their budgets. They are well-versed in negotiation strategies and can secure discounted rates for you, ensuring optimal value for your investments.

By working closely with vendors and leveraging their negotiation skills, they ensure you get the necessary software solutions without breaking the bank. With assisted buyers on your side, you can rest assured that your SaaS purchases are financially sound and optimized for maximum value.

6. Ensuring you pay the same as your peers

Assisted buyers ensure you get fair deals by comparing prices to industry standards. This dedication to fairness builds trust with vendors, strengthens relationships, and enhances long-term procurement practices, guaranteeing the best value for your investment.

For instance, they compare prices with what other companies pay for similar software when purchasing software tools. If they discover you're overcharged, they negotiate to lower the price fairly.

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We shop for you: assisted buying as an extension of your team

CloudEagle's "we shop for you" approach positions our procurement experts as an extension of your IT, security, and procurement teams, not replacements. Our specialists handle time-consuming tasks like requirements intake, vendor research, pricing comparisons, RFP coordination, and back-and-forth negotiations, while you maintain complete final decision authority. 

This white-glove service leverages our comprehensive usage insights and benchmarking data from over $2 billion in transactions to strengthen your negotiation position.

Here's how it works: you submit software requirements through our streamlined intake process, our team researches vendors and compiles market benchmarks, we present shortlisted options with strategic recommendations, then handle vendor negotiations while keeping you informed at critical decision points. This model reduces internal workload by up to 80%, shortens buying cycles from months to weeks, and combines our AI-driven insights with automated workflows to secure optimal pricing and contract terms that exceed what most teams achieve independently.

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Practical tips for using assisted buying services effectively

Maximize value from assisted buying through strategic preparation and ongoing partnership. Teams that follow best practices achieve better outcomes while maintaining full purchasing control.

Before engaging, consolidate your SaaS data and set clear savings targets. Align IT, procurement, and finance on evaluation criteria and governance requirements. Share security and compliance needs upfront to prevent delays, and establish realistic timelines for contract reviews and approvals.

Treat assisted buying as an ongoing partnership, not a one-time transaction. Use benchmarking insights and market intelligence to continuously optimize your SaaS portfolio. Combine external expertise with internal knowledge to secure optimal pricing while focusing your team on strategic initiatives. Regular check-ins reveal new cost-saving opportunities and keep you informed about market changes affecting future renewals.

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CloudEagle - Your assisted buying partner in vendor negotiations

CloudEagle is a SaaS management and procurement platform that offers SaaS buying services. You can seek assistance from our negotiation experts and let them handle your procurement process while your team can focus on their core tasks.

The tool is useful for:

1. Analyzing platform usage insights

CloudEagle helps you manage all your apps in one place. With CloudEagle’s wide integration library, you can easily link all your apps to see your SaaS stack. You will see which ones you use, how much you spend, and how many licenses you have. This info is key for negotiating with vendors and avoiding unnecessary costs.

2. Accessing the latest price benchmarking data

The tool provides SaaS buyers access to up-to-date price benchmarks from a vast database of over $2 billion in transactions and reliable sources, ensuring fair pricing compared to others. Our experts negotiate with vendors to secure the best deal, preventing overpayment for applications in the future.

3. Getting an experienced extended team

When you work with us for SaaS buying, we don't take over the entire procurement process. Our experts team up with your internal staff, giving helpful advice and suggestions. We analyze your needs, recommend apps and vendors, plan proposals, and negotiate deals while considering your input.

Check out this testimonial from Sophie Wang, Head of Finance at Wefunder, describing how CloudEagle helped them save time and resources with contract negotiations and SaaS procurement.

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4. Access to years of negotiation expertise

Our SaaS buyers bring years of negotiation experience to the table. They analyze your requirements, conduct thorough market and competitor analyses, leverage the latest pricing benchmarks, and provide precise insights for successful negotiations.

Check out this case study: Sophie Wang, Finance Manager at Wefunder, shares her success story of how CloudEagle helped them save on SaaS spend through negotiations.

5. Utilizing advanced procurement workflows

We didn’t just offer assisted buying services; our platform can streamline your SaaS procurement process with automated workflows. CloudEagle automatically assigns tasks to the right people, saving your procurement team time.

You can notify stakeholders through Slack, email, or in-app notifications and collaborate in a private Slack channel for decision-making. You also get "Slack for Procurement," a dynamic Slackbot to help your employees raise purchase requests directly from Slack.

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Conclusion

Assisted buying makes vendor negotiation a breeze by teaming you up with experts. Although we recognize the competence of in-house procurement teams, most organizations face a shortage of negotiation expertise.

Assisted buyers fill this gap by offering insider insights and tailored advice. Rather than investing time and resources into building and training a new team, consider outsourcing your SaaS procurement process to us. It will let your team concentrate on their primary responsibilities while we manage the complexities.

As technology progresses and services improve, the advantages of assisted buying will only grow, reshaping our approach to negotiations in today's market.

Here is Armory’s customer success story, in which they discuss how outsourcing their procurement process to CloudEagle increased their savings.

Schedule a demo with CloudEagle to learn more about using assisted buying services to get the best deals at the right market cost.

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