“They had been evaluating a phone system. Now they were dealing with an expensive obligation that was difficult to unwind.”
The situation
A client wanted a cloud-based phone system that would bring its locations onto a common platform. VocalPoint Consulting had already supported other parts of its environment and offered to help set requirements and evaluate suppliers. An IT leader had seen a demonstration and preferred a particular vendor. We had concerns about the fit and the implementation approach, but the organization proceeded, and the agreement was signed before the evaluation and site preparation we recommended were complete.
The stakes
A rollout expected to take a few months was still struggling more than half a year later, with only a small share of locations installed. The client wanted out. The supplier pointed to the agreement and sought an early termination fee in the high six figures.
What we did
We joined negotiations with the supplier and the client's leadership. The termination amount was reduced to a fraction of the original demand, and a replacement provider offered a credit intended to offset it. That improved the commercial outcome, but it did not return the months of management attention or erase the disruption.
The lesson
The cheapest time to find the exit cost is before you sign, not after the rollout stalls.