We are all conditioned to some degree either consciously or subconsciously, that when we hear the word free - it must be a good thing: Buy one, get one free! Free with purchase of two or more… Free to the first 10 customers… Claim your free gift by registering today… And the list goes on…. However, these marketing terms are not limited to the realm of retail. We are exposed every day to the same conditioning in the world of B2B technology and software. And just like in the retail world, more often than not, “free” is really not free at all. No one gives something away for nothing, or they wouldn’t be in business very long. There has to be ...
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As we close out 2016, on behalf of the global staff at NET(net), I reflect on the blessings we experience on a daily basis and wish to thank all our clients and partners for entrusting the team at NET(net) to help you find, get, and keep more value in your IT agreements, investments, and relationships. NET(net) ends the year on the highest of notes, celebrating many Clients successes, achieving significant milestones with our closest partners, and initiating a record number of new relationships with various companies throughout the world. We at NET(net) are committed to creating long-term sustainable value in our client relationships, and ...
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Planning ahead with tech suppliers can be daunting and time consuming, especially if you don't rely on the suppliers themselves and the consultant firms that take money from them for all your information. For many however, escaping from the Technology Cartel is difficult. Back in May, we wrote about: Oracle - Fiscal year ended May, and often the renewal cycle is the best time to change terms Microsoft - Fiscal year ended June, biggest month for license renewals and new license deals Cisco - Fiscal year ended July, best time of year to review Cisco estate for M&S optimization and more And now - its SAP's turn - fiscal year ending ...
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For those that are not yet aware, Microsoft has announced SIGNIFICANT price increases due to start January 2017. Microsoft claims that the price increases are a result of the UK's exit from the European Union and the resulting decrease in the value of the British Pound. The price increase will be as much as 22% for Enterprise Cloud Services, and 13% for on premise Enterprise Software. Given there are only two months left before these changes take effect, there is significant urgency around evaluating the potential impact and how to adjust and mitigate it. Additional Articles: The Guardian Engadget The Independent Email us to get in contact ...
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"Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." - Mike Tyson Many of us also know this quote from Mike Tyson, which turned into one of his most famous quotes because of the applicability far beyond boxing..especially in the sport of Supplier Negotiations. It really has meaning in any area of life, whether the blow comes from the death of a loved one, a health issue, losing your job, making a bad investment, a traffic jam, whatever. It's how you react to that adversity that defines you, not the adversity itself. Similar to Sun Tsu's claims, success in a supplier negotiation is often achieved BEFORE the negotiation ever starts. ...
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“Every battle is won before it’s ever fought.” ― Sun Tzu Most of us know this quote from Sun Tzu's seminal work, "The Art of War", but is it true that EVERY battle is won or lost before it's ever fought? Well, in context, Sun Tzu was speaking of the great set-piece battles fought at the time, where huge armies would line up and then be sent into the fray to fight. The battle would go to whoever had prepared best, who brought the best supplies, who had the best planning, who garnered the best intelligence, who held the best control of the ground, whose warriors had the best training, and so on.... But in modern conflicts, this view is ...
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As the Founder of NET(net), I’ve had the privilege of working with world class clients all over the world, in virtually all industries and geographies. I’ve also had the honor of knowing many "rock star" client executives, including management scholars from ivy-league schools, engineers from MIT, and their staff that’s as sharp as any well trained Special Forces unit. Over the years, I’ve learned many things from working with these exceptional organizations and I hope the feeling is mutual. But as a wise person once said, ‘the biggest room in the house, is the room for improvement’. There is one compelling issue that all these talented ...
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Oracle’s history with the cloud has been somewhat (shall we say) evolving. As recently as 2008, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison has called the cloud “complete gibberish”, “insane”, and likened its “idiocy” to that of “women’s fashion”. Later he said that cloud was his idea. Still later, Larry Ellison said he liked the brand of “cloud computing”, calling it “charismatic”. Then, at OpenWorld 2014, Oracle declared itself “King of the Cloud”. We found this suspicious at the time, given Oracle’s true standing in the cloud was diametrically opposed to its public statements at that time. The legions of techie’s at Oracle were hard at work to have ...
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Microsoft has recently announced upcoming changes to several key licensing rules and offerings for a variety of desktop, server, and virtualization products that, taken together, may significantly alter many of NET(net)'s past recommendations regarding the cost optimization as it relates to the usage of these products and features. These changes will be formally rolled out during the remainder of 2016 and unless these areas are assessed, the vast majority of Microsoft Customers (including the clients who have previously engaged us for optimization services) will be significantly over-paying based on the former methods and the prior Microsoft ...
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There is a beautiful highway in Hawaii affectionately known (at least to honeymoon tourists) as ‘The Road to Hana’ on the island of Maui. I remember the road well as it was pretty exciting with all its switchbacks, cliff views, hills and waterfalls. But I also remember the journey taking several hours longer than we thought it would – and really started to question the journey to begin with (the road trip – not the marriage). Ironic then that SAP chose a similar name for its product of the future – S4 Hana. As we are finding out with clients and associates, you should question when you are going to take this ‘Road to Hana’ – or whether ...
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