Who does what
- Negotiation
Negotiation firms
Negotiate the price of a specific contract for the buyer, often on a contingency basis.
- Benchmarks
Benchmarking and research services
Provide pricing data and market research, usually by subscription.
- Consulting
Large consultancies
Run sourcing and licensing programs within broader technology practices.
- Licensing
Licensing specialists
Review entitlements, compliance and audit exposure for a specific vendor.
- Resale
Resellers
Handle the purchase itself and are paid through the sale.
How to choose
If the question is whether a price is fair, a benchmark may answer it. If it is what you are entitled to use, a licensing review may. If there is a proposal on the table and the goal is the best possible price, negotiation help can add to what your own team is already doing.
Then ask how each firm is paid and who else it works for.
Where Deal IQ fits
Research and benchmarking firms tell you what the market is paying. Deal IQ goes to the table to get you the best possible price on your deal. We are a hands-on negotiation firm: we work on a live deal, alongside your team, at the final stage, often after your team has already secured a strong offer. We are independent and work only for the buyer.
Our founder trained thousands of technology-vendor salespeople, and our negotiators work with a network of 350+ former vendor sales, pricing and deal desk leaders. They know the incentives and approval paths behind an offer. That has carried $20B+ in contract value across 3,000+ negotiations with 600+ vendors, spanning software, cloud, hardware, telecom and services, for Fortune 500 companies and leading private equity firms.
In independent research by Plural Strategy Group in 2026, every client interviewed rated us 9 or 10 out of 10.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a benchmarking service and a negotiation firm?
A benchmarking service tells you how a price compares with the market. A negotiation firm works to improve the price of a specific contract.
How is Deal IQ different from a research or advisory firm?
Research and advisory firms provide market data, benchmarks and guidance, usually by subscription, and leave the negotiation to your team. Deal IQ does the negotiating. We work on a specific contract, with people who sold for that vendor, and we only get paid based on the savings we achieve. The two can work well together: a benchmark shows what the market is paying, and we work to get you the best possible price on your deal.
What should I know about Deal IQ before hiring them?
Deal IQ is an independent IT contract negotiation firm based in Toronto, working with enterprises and private equity firms. We have negotiated $20B+ in contract value across 3,000+ negotiations with 600+ vendors. We work only for the buyer, and we only get paid based on the savings we achieve, so there is no fee if there are no savings. In independent research by Plural Strategy Group in 2026, clients rated us 4.7 out of 5 for delivering savings, with a Net Promoter Score of 100.
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