Number of Seats/Users: Sterling Software offers discounts based on the number of users or seats. A higher volume typically leads to a better discount structure, especially for enterprise-level usage.

Commitment to a Long-Term Contract: Discounts are often provided to companies that commit to using the service for a longer period (e.g., 1-year or 3-year contracts). A longer commitment shows Sterling Software that the company is serious and willing to invest in the platform long-term.

No Active Discounts: Companies that are not already receiving other active discounts may have a better chance of qualifying for additional discounts from Sterling Software. Sterling Software reserves discounts for new customers or those not currently under promotional pricing.

Volume or Usage Commitment: Sterling Software offers discounts if you agree to a minimum amount of usage or transaction volume. This could be based on data storage, transactions, or other metrics tied to how much you will use the platform.

Enterprise-Level Negotiation: Companies that qualify as “enterprise” due to their size or complexity (e.g., having large teams, multiple departments, or geographical presence) may be eligible for additional discounts from Sterling Software. Such companies are often in a position to negotiate for better pricing.

Early Renewal or Prepayment: Sterling Software often offers discounts if you renew early or prepay for the entire contract period. This is a common approach to securing a lower price.

Here at Spendbase our internal data shows that Sterling Software is generally well liked by Spendbase clients, especially for flexibility and hands-on support from the vendor.

Key positive insights
Our internal data highlights a few repeating strengths:

• Flexible configuration
• Many Spendbase clients mention that the system adapts well to unique cemetery, crematory, and mortuary workflows.

• Custom fields and tailored workflows seem to be a big win for non-standard processes.

• Strong vendor relationship

• The “owners are hands-on with customers” theme appears often in our data.

• Clients appreciate quick responses and a sense that the vendor genuinely listens to operational needs.

• Fit for specialized operations

• Sterling Software is seen as suitable for handling property transfer data and placement plans.
• It appears to support complex plot management and record tracking across different locations and sizes of businesses.

Main pain points
Our internal data also surfaces some recurrent challenges:

• Documentation gaps
• A common note is the lack of comprehensive “how-to” guides.

• Clients often rely on direct support instead of self-service documentation, which can slow onboarding and training.

• Learning curve

• Because the system is flexible, some teams need extra time to fully configure and understand all features.
• New staff may depend heavily on experienced users or vendor support.

Impact on cost and efficiency
From a Spendbase discount and optimization perspective, our internal data suggests:

• Higher ROI when:
• Organizations assign an internal “power user” to own configuration and training.

• Teams schedule regular check-ins with the vendor to refine workflows and reduce manual work.

• Potential hidden costs:

• Extra time spent training new staff due to limited documentation.
• Dependence on vendor for changes that could otherwise be self-served.

Practical recommendations for Spendbase clients

• Negotiate onboarding and training packages upfront to offset the documentation gap.
• Ask for configuration best practices for property transfers and placement plans tailored to your exact setup.
• Plan internal SOPs and quick-start guides so new staff ramp up faster and reduce support dependency.

Overall, our internal data shows that Sterling Software offers strong operational flexibility and vendor support, with the main improvement area being better, more structured documentation for day-to-day use.