Cafeyn is a digital platform offering a broad selection of digital magazines and newspapers accessible via an app compatible with computers and tablets, covering categories like sports, business, fashion, health, and more.
Types of tools used
Tools negotiated include CRM, CMS, Analytics
Before Najar
Challenges in enhancing operations with a reduced budget
A decentralised approach caused problems in contract management and renewals
Difficulties encountered in ensuring the company was securing the most competitive SaaS prices
Challenges in effectively consolidating expenses across various subsidiaries
Fairly limited time available for conducting SaaS negotiations
After Najar
Saved +80K€, and reinvested a part to improve team efficiency during budgeting
Centralised approach, full visibility and peace of mind for contract renewal
Ensuring the best SaaS pricing through our benchmarking knowledge and expertise
Achieved 360° optimisation of SaaS solutions for all subsidiaries
Streamlined SaaS negotiations through expert-driven, efficient processes
Cafeyn’s dilemma of rising SaaS prices and cost-cutting budgets
Budget optimisation hurdles
In 2023, Cafeyn, amidst cost rationalisation efforts, faced the challenge of enhancing operations with a reduced budget. The Group Strategic Finance Manager, in charge of negotiating SaaS licences, noted a significant 10 to 30% price increase from suppliers. This rise in costs made it tough to stick to their policy of doing more with the same budget. Although skilled in negotiations, they couldn’t engage in this task daily due to time constraints and the rapidly evolving nature of negotiation tools. Moreover, it was difficult for them to ascertain if they were truly securing the best prices, given that SaaS pricing often varies on a case-by-case basis. They also lacked insight into the right levers to pull during negotiations with various vendors.
“We had negotiated our contracts well, and yet there were still some contracts where we were being taken advantage of and could challenge.”
Challenges in decentralisation and contract renewals
Additionally, managing their SaaS purchases was fragmented and time-consuming. Requests and approvals were processed through Trello, but tracking and consolidating these expenses, especially across subsidiaries, was a significant hurdle. Laurent had to meet with all the teams to understand their needs and challenge all the cost lines. It was cumbersome at the accounting level; he had to review everything and identify all the expenses, and they were caught by problems of tacit renewals. The absence of a centralised system led to scattered contracts and a lack of control over renewals and negotiations. This decentralised approach posed substantial challenges, consuming valuable time and resources, particularly in contract management and negotiations.
How Cafeyn achieved 360° view of their contracts & smart savings
Efficient solutions to Cafeyn’s SaaS overpayments
We carried out an audit and identified potential savings for Cafeyn by comparing their license prices with similar companies of their size. Despite their negotiation processes and good practices, we reveal overpayments in some contracts. Our offer was compelling as significant savings were guaranteed on numerous contracts, and ultimately led to substantial savings overall.
“I’m very satisfied with the results obtained with Najar and the relationship with the teams. It costs you nothing to try Najar, because you're guaranteed to save money! It's so easy to implement the solution, that I don't see why anyone wouldn't want to try it. All you have to do is try. Najar does most of the work, gathering the data, doing the analysis and negotiating. To me, it's irrational not to try.”
Furthermore, Cafeyn's team requirements were challenged and underwent rigorous analysis for major contracts. The current functionalities and use were assessed for their alignment with the company's needs. This approach empowered Cafeyn to re-evaluate contracts and initiate renegotiations supported by solid usage data. For example, with long-standing tools like their IT project management tool that was initially on a monthly subscription, we helped Cafeyn switch to an annual plan and explored alternatives. This transition resulted in cost savings, enhanced budget predictability, reduced administrative overhead, and potential negotiation benefits, all while ensuring uninterrupted tool access and thorough solution evaluation.
How Cafeyn enhanced the optimisation and visibility of their tool usage
Cafeyn’s approach to how they managed their SaaS was revolutionised by offering a comprehensive solution that streamlined Procurement, enhanced transparency and led to significant cost savings and time saved.
“The burden of managing SaaS negotiations often falls on the CFO, who may find the process frustrating and time-consuming, especially for smaller solutions. Despite the potential for significant cost savings, the time and effort required can be substantial. This highlights the need for a more streamlined, efficient approach to managing and negotiating SaaS, like Najar.”
Utilising Najar's platform, Cafeyn significantly enhanced their software usage tracking, leading to a more efficient allocation of resources. On one specific tool, they discovered a discrepancy where 300 licenses were allocated but only 200 were actively used. Thanks to Najar’s platform, Cafeyn were able to swiftly cancel the redundant 100 licenses, resulting in huge cost savings in only 2 minutes.
Step into the cockpit of financial excellence
Centralising their contracts for better negotiations and peace of mind
Our platform’s comprehensive features such as the contract alert system and 360° optimisation of SaaS solutions offers Cafeyn immense reassurance, knowing all their contracts are in one reliable place, with easy access to vital information like commercial data, responsible parties, and renewal dates. It ensures continuity in management, even with personnel changes, as anyone taking over can immediately access contracts, alerts, and crucial data for renegotiations, adding significant value to their operations. Most importantly, it helps align with Cafeyn’s goal of cost rationalisation and efficient resource allocation.
“For me, it's really reassuring to know that all our contracts are in one place. There's significant added value in this functionality for me and my team.”
Using our benchmarks and IT Buyers’ expertise, we successfully negotiated 5 SaaS tool contracts, obtaining an average saving of 20%. These significant savings enabled Cafeyn to conserve a considerable amount of money, which they then reinvested in other SaaS tools to access key features for the operational teams. This strategic allocation resulted in a more efficient allocation of budgets, helping Cafeyn achieve an ROI of x4.
Are you facing similar challenges in managing and optimising your SaaS tools? Najar can provide the solution you need to streamline your processes and achieve significant savings. Discover your cost-saving opportunities with our Savings Calculator and see how we can transform your SaaS processes.
