Introduce other competitive products that offer similar functionalities at lower costs to put pressure on EY to adjust their pricing. Highlight that finance has limited budget and is considering alternatives in order to gauge their willingness to lower their rates or add additional value.
Address any proposed uplift in pricing due to increased scope. Highlight that the expectation is to maintain current pricing or better yet, reduce costs as a result of expected growth in usage. Emphasize how the partnership should reflect rewards for commitment and not penalize growth.
Since you intend to onboard more users, leverage this growth to negotiate better pricing. Point out the need for economies of scale; as the number of users increases, the cost per user should decrease. Ensure EY understands that this growth should translate into better rates.
Negotiate to remove the auto-renewal clause from the contract, highlighting a new requirement from finance that prevents auto-renewals. This gives you negotiation leverage for better pricing, as EY must prove their value each year.
If you have experienced any product issues, communicate these during negotiations. Stress how these have affected your evaluation of the renewal and request additional discounts to compensate for the frustrations faced during the previous term.