Guide: How to run a pilot program for a new tool in your team

That guide is backwards. It's written for the vendor, not the buyer. A "pilot" is just a long sales demo where you do the implementation work for them.

Here's what's really happening:
* The vendor's goal is to lock you into their ecosystem before you see the final quote. The "special pilot price" disappears, replaced by a 20% annual increase.
* They're using your team as free beta testers and case study fodder. "Look, BigCorp is using us!"
* The success metrics are always vague. Surprise—you'll hit them, justifying the purchase.

What to do instead:
* Define your own, non-negotiable exit criteria before the pilot starts. (e.g., "Must cut report generation time by 50%, or we walk.")
* Get the final, signed pricing agreement *before* any data migration. The "post-pilot discount" is a myth.
* Ban their sales team from contacting your pilot users. Feedback goes through one channel you control.

I evaluate CRM and sales automation tools. I'll post on how to decode vendor pricing sheets and find the clauses that let them raise prices mid-contract.