Leverage the offers from competitors by presenting them during your negotiation with Hex Technologies. Make it clear that you are considering alternatives that offer similar functionality at a lower cost and highlight any specific pricing details from other suppliers. This tactic can significantly increase your leverage to negotiate better terms and prices.

If the renewal involves a price uplift, argue that your budget does not account for this increase and that your historical spending should lead to a flat renewal rate or even a decrease. Use specifics about your current usage and previous agreements to strengthen your negotiating position.

Negotiate to have any auto-renewal clauses removed from your agreement. Emphasize that your finance team requires the flexibility to negotiate terms without being locked into an auto-renewal, which affects your leverage in future negotiations.

Propose to act as a reference or participate in a case study in exchange for favorable terms. This can evoke goodwill from Hex Technologies and may lead to discounts or extras that are not originally offered.

If your usage is set to increase significantly, leverage this growth potential to negotiate lower rates per user. Emphasize that your growing team will require economies of scale, and ensure that any contract reflects reduced user costs as you expand.