What you need to know when planning your 2022 renewal
Managing Microsoft investments and environments has become more complicated than ever for organizations. Not only are costs spiralling out of their control as a result of unchecked consumption, but a lack of strategic intelligence, planning and forecasting often sees Microsoft and its resellers retain the upper hand when it comes time to negotiate. What’s more, the exponential growth of cloud-based subscription services like Azure and M365 has seen contractual and negotiation practices change drastically, leaving organizations even more in the dark.
So, we wanted to provide some high level insights on some challenges facing Microsoft customers, and offer our experience and expertise to support organizations looking to mitigate some of these risks and make the most out of their Microsoft environment.
Our six-part mini-series is delivered in bite size videos that take just 10-15 minutes out of your day to provide some extra insight on key areas, from how to combat recent price increases to recommendations for how best to plan for your 2022 Microsoft renewals.
Our series of six short briefings will be available on-demand and will cover:
- Episode 1: Microsoft price rises – In our first episode, we want to share an insider's view of Microsoft’s impending price rise next year and what it means from a contract and cost optimization perspective. We’ll look at what products will be affected and share some advice on how to plan ahead and mitigate risks associated with these price changes.
- Episode 2: PowerBI and PowerApps – Now a huge area of growth and focus for Microsoft, PowerBI and PowerApps are also seeing more acceptance and consumption from organizations looking for the best business intelligence platforms. We’ll take a look at what’s changed and how organizations can optimize, forecast and leverage certain information during negotiations to get the best deal that suits their requirements and consumption plan.
- Episode 3: Dynamics 365 – It’s no secret that Dynamics 365 sees frequent changes and updates, but in this episode, we’ll look at the major licensing changes from 2019, and how organizations can plan and execute a strategy to mitigate any uplift in costs that came from these changes, as well as how to optimize contracts and estates for the future.
- Episode 4: Azure – Azure is currently seeing huge amounts of growth, but with this progress comes concerns over its complexity and its tendency to sprawl out of control. In this episode, we’ll discuss the importance of responsible procurement when it comes to Azure, and advise on how organizations can negotiate a contract and manage and Azure estate that is fit for today and the future. We’ll look at forecasting, planning and negotiation best practices, and the right measures and processes to have in place to mitigate risk.
- Episode 5: EUC Standard vs Premium – A key area for Microsoft, we want to demystify the misconceptions around standard and premium EUC, as well as look at E5, security, telephony and compliance. We want to bring all these elements together in one conversation, to help organizations really understand what’s right for them and why having a clear idea of requirements is key to winning at Microsoft’s changing negotiation table.
- Episode 6: Contract Negotiation – In our final episode, we’ll not only bring together all the hot topics above, but we’ll also provide guidance and advice on how to get the best possible deal during negotiations. This includes looking specifically at how the dynamics of negotiations have changed in response to changing consumption habits. We’ll share our experienced and expert tips and advice for negotiation best practice to help you get there.
Register for our full six-part Microsoft Briefing Series here.
For more information, visit our dedicated Microsoft page, email us on info@livingstone-group.com or complete this form and one of our contract experts will be in touch.
About the Authors
Simon Leuty, Livingstone Founder
Simon is a founder of Livingstone Technologies. He currently sits on the Executive Leadership Team as Head of Pre-Sales. Simon is responsible for the development roadmap of our client portal LUCE.
He has over 15 years’ experience of the Software Asset Management and Cloud markets, working closely with our growing customer base to help them take control of their software and cloud cost. Simon helps to eliminate unacceptable spend and enforce tight governance standards that keep them compliant, agile and secure.
Gareth Redshaw, Director of Microsoft & Cloud
Gareth joined our team through the acquisition of Cloud Optics, who are now a company in the Livingstone Group. With over 15 years’ experience in software licencing Gareth has helped clients optimise spend, develop their future strategy and taken control of high-profile vendor negotiations; this includes one of the largest UK Government contracts.
Having successfully managed UK wide government EWA contracts from 2009-2011, more recently Gareth developed a proven methodology for cost optimisation. He has implemented this across EMEA wide clients and delivered substantial savings. Gareth developed and grew the largest LSP’s practice for Microsoft government SME consulting and Cloud Commercial Optimisation. In addition to this he was responsible for this same LSP’s Licence Consulting UK, Ireland & Nordics.