Grey Label Offers: Seven Scope Questions for the Seller
A useful grey label enquiry gives the seller something specific to answer. Instead of asking whether a package is complete, ask about the decisions that affect your operation. The following questions help turn a forex grey label listing into a documented scope discussion.
Who supplies the service, and what do we control?
Ask who signs the agreement, who manages the environment, and which changes your team can make. Request an explanation of the provider chain if more than one organization is involved. Those are the first two questions because they determine where later operational requests must go.
Which limits apply, and what is optional?
Ask for the account categories, client limits, symbols, groups, and manager permissions attached to the offer. Then ask which branding, CRM, API, website, and migration services cost extra. Capacity and optional work form the next two questions. Keep demo and live allowances separate in the answers.
What support is agreed, and how do changes work?
Ask for the support boundary and the process for approving new requirements. A seller should be able to distinguish an existing-service issue from a change in scope. These two questions help reveal whether the arrangement can be operated clearly after the initial handover, when small requests begin to arrive.
What can we take with us if we transition?
The seventh question concerns records, configuration documentation, and cooperation if the arrangement changes. Ask about available exports and the agreed responsibilities rather than assuming everything can be moved automatically. Collect all seven answers in one document and request corrections if the demonstration or final agreement differs. A confident choice begins with a scope you can explain to another member of your team.
The scope sheet
A scope sheet turns a sales conversation into a document. List what the provider will do, what you will do and what is out of scope.
| Area | Provider does | You do | Not included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platform environment and updates | |||
| Account types and groups | |||
| Branding inside the terminal | |||
| Website and client portal | |||
| CRM and API | |||
| Payments | |||
| Liquidity and pricing | |||
| Support | |||
| Compliance and licensing |
Ask the provider to fill the first column and sign the document. Your side of the table becomes your own task list.
A worked example of scope creep
A buyer assumes that "branding" includes the client portal. The provider assumes it covers only the platform’s name and logo. Two months into the project, the portal is not ready and each side believes the other is responsible. The dispute costs weeks.
A scope sheet would have caught the difference in the first meeting. Each row forces a "yes", "no" or "ask me" answer, and "ask me" becomes a question before it becomes a conflict.
Limits and what happens at the edge
Every provider sets limits. Write them in the sheet with the numbers: clients, groups, logins, symbols, API usage. Then add a row for what happens at a limit: is the next tier automatic, is approval needed and what does it cost?
Limits that are described only as "generous" or "flexible" are a risk. Ask for figures and put them in the contract.
Exit and portability
Ask what you can take with you if you leave: client lists, balances, history, configuration records and branding assets. Ask how long a transition takes and whether the provider charges for help. Providers who answer plainly are usually confident in their service.
If the exit terms are vague, treat that as a price: it will cost you more to leave than you assume.
Negotiating scope
Scope is often more negotiable than price. A provider may accept a different support level, an additional group, an extra symbol set or a clearer exit clause with little resistance. Ask for what matters to your plan and note what the provider asks in return, such as a longer term.
Be specific. "Better support" is vague; "email response within four hours for urgent issues" is something the provider can accept or decline.
Changes during the contract
Your needs will change. Ask how changes to scope are requested, approved and priced. A simple process with written approvals and fixed rates for common changes avoids disagreements. If every change requires a new contract, delays will follow.
Ask also how the provider handles changes on its side, such as platform updates, and how much notice you receive.
Keeping the scope sheet current
Update the scope sheet after any approved change and keep the history. At each renewal, compare the current sheet with the original and ask whether it still fits. This discipline stops scope drift and gives you a firm basis for renewal talks.
Turning scope into acceptance tests
Scope is easier to enforce if each item has a way to check it. For each row in the scope sheet, write a short test. For example, "company name appears in the terminal header" can be checked with a screenshot. "Support responds to urgent issues within four hours" can be tested with a log of tickets. "Client list can be exported" can be tested by doing an export.
Agree the tests with the provider and run them at handover. The exercise turns the scope sheet into a checklist and gives both sides a clear picture of what done means.
Handling disagreements
Even with a clear scope, disagreements happen. Agree in advance how they will be resolved: first a conversation between named contacts, then escalation to a manager, then, if needed, a defined process such as mediation. Write the steps into the contract.
A simple, sensible process saves time and money, and it signals that both sides expect to work things out.
Using the scope sheet at renewal
At renewal, take out the original scope sheet and compare it with what you actually receive and what you now need. Note missing items, unused items and new requirements. Use the comparison to negotiate price, scope or terms.
A provider is more likely to listen to a customer who has kept good records.
Frequently asked questions
What is scope in a grey label offer?
The list of what the provider delivers, what you must do and what is excluded, including limits, support and exit terms.
Who should sign the scope sheet?
Both parties. Attach it to the contract so it has legal weight.
What if the provider refuses to define scope?
Consider it a warning sign. Without a defined scope, disagreements are more likely.
How often should scope be reviewed?
At least once a year, and whenever you plan a major change.