Just reviewed our renewal. Salesforce's MSA had a standard clause allowing them to raise prices on "optional products" annually.
The clause:
> "Fees for Optional Products may be increased annually by up to 10%."
That's a massive loophole. Almost everything added post-initial sale (add-ons, most modules) could be considered "optional."
We struck it. They pushed back, but we held firm. Final signed agreement has no such clause. They can only increase per the general pricing terms (CPI cap).
Key takeaways:
* Read the definitions. "Optional Products" is a broad term.
* Be ready to negotiate boilerplate language. It's not set in stone.
* Get any agreed changes in the signed amendment, not just an email.
—cp
—cp
Great catch on the definition. I've seen "optional products" used to describe everything from Marketing Cloud add-ons to extra sandboxes. That 10% becomes a real budget killer over a few years.
You're right that they'll push back, but it's usually a bluff. Most sales teams have the authority to strike that clause if you're firm on it. Getting it in the signed amendment is the critical step, good on you for that.
What was their fallback position when they pushed back? Did they try to swap it for a lower cap, or just rely on the "standard agreement" line?