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Post-Dreamforce Feedback: A Shift in the CLM Conversation
At Dreamforce 2025, one theme came through clearly: organizations are ready for something different.
Over the week, we had the chance to connect with hundreds of teams—from startups to global enterprises—who explored Intellistack’s approach to CLM.
Their feedback pointed to a growing appetite for tools that balance powerful functionality with simplicity and real-world usability. Many were particularly interested in how our AI Playbook Assistant helps legal teams maintain standards automatically while giving IT leaders confidence in deployment speed and data integrity.
After years of adapting to legacy CLM systems, teams seemed encouraged by what a more modern, unified platform could make possible.
The Challenge: Two Teams, One Goal, Different Priorities
When it comes to selecting a CLM, Legal and IT are often aligned in principle but divided in practice.
Both want efficiency, security, and scalability—but they approach the problem from different angles.
For Legal
The focus is on risk management, control, and compliance. Legal teams need a system that keeps contracts consistent, enforces policy, and protects the organization without slowing deals.
For IT
The priorities are architecture, integration, and cost of ownership. IT needs a platform that fits seamlessly into existing systems, scales without licensing sprawl, and doesn’t add another layer of technical debt.
Historically, most CLM solutions forced one team to compromise. The result: stalled evaluations, incomplete rollouts, and underused systems that never deliver promised ROI.
Bridging the Gap: A Unified Business Case
The modern CLM isn’t just a legal tool—it’s an enterprise system.
That shift changes everything about how Legal and IT should partner on the buying decision.
The strongest business cases now come from teams that frame CLM not as a compliance expense, but as a strategic growth enabler.
Here’s how successful organizations build that case together:
1. Start with Shared Metrics
Tie the CLM discussion to KPIs both functions value:
- Cycle time reduction (Legal + Sales)
- Cost savings from automation (Legal + IT)
- System consolidation and security posture (IT + Compliance)
- Revenue acceleration and audit readiness (Legal + Finance)
When CLM success is measured by shared outcomes, alignment happens naturally.
2. Frame AI as a Force Multiplier
AI features—like Playbook Assistant—turn contracting from a manual bottleneck into a proactive workflow.
Legal gets automation that respects policy; IT gets AI that’s explainable, secure, and contained within your instance.
The takeaway: AI in CLM isn’t replacing judgment—it’s scaling it across the organization.
3. Emphasize Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
Legacy vendors often bury costs in per-seat pricing, customization, and integration overhead.
A modern horizontal platform like Intellistack Streamline CLM eliminates those surprises.
Legal gains flexibility; IT gains predictability.
When both teams can quantify long-term savings, the investment becomes a clear win.
Why Intellistack Streamline CLM Resonates with Both Legal and IT
At Dreamforce, we heard the same feedback again and again:
“It’s the first CLM that feels powerful and easy to use.”
Legal professionals saw a system that speaks their language—AI-guided redlines, version control, and policy automation built directly into their workflow.
IT leaders saw a platform that fits within their architecture—no per-seat fees, no external AI calls, no bolt-on complexity.
Together, those perspectives form a shared case for adoption:
- Legal gets control without constraint.
- IT gets innovation without risk.
It’s a balance most teams have been searching for—and one that’s now possible with a unified, AI-enabled CLM.
Moving Forward: Build the Case, Not Just the Stack
As organizations plan for 2026, one thing is clear: the CLM discussion is no longer departmental. It’s organizational.
Legal and IT are both stakeholders in the same mission—to streamline operations, reduce risk, and accelerate revenue.
The most effective CLM initiatives start not with a feature checklist, but with a shared vision for how contracting should work across the business.
That’s the foundation for sustainable transformation—and it’s exactly what Intellistack Streamline CLM was built to deliver.
