Keystone provides unbiased Microsoft licensing and negotiation support:
- You will know all of your options
- Together we will develop a negotiation strategy
- We will be in control of your Microsoft EA and Unified Support renewal from the start
- You will not be over-licensed
- We will get you the largest discount possible
Keystone is the only independent Microsoft advisory firm that has negotiated 2.5million Microsoft 365 licenses.
How we are different
Negotiation theory
People who have been formally trained at Harvard and MIT in negotiation concepts, frameworks, and tools.
Negotiation experience
People who have successfully completed hundreds of Microsoft Enterprise Agreement and Microsoft Unified Support negotiations and have practical skills.
Negotiation expertise
People that have written negotiation books, presented at conferences, taught negotiation at university, and developed successful online negotiation courses.
Business Acumen
People that can communicate, present in a boardroom, run a negotiation meeting, manage difficult people, overcome resistance, break a deadlock, and close a deal.
Analytical
People who have a high tolerance for detailed spreadsheets and analysis and converting data into meaningful insights and informed decision-making.
Microsoft licensing knowledge
People who have practical experience selling Microsoft software licensing and keep up to date with the everchanging Microsoft licensing rules and contract structures.
Microsoft product knowledge
People that can explain what each Microsoft product does, usage scenarios, and help determine if you need to buy it and when. People that can really explain how licensing works inside an M365 tenant and an Azure subscription.
Microsoft company knowledge
People that worked at Microsoft in Licensing Management roles, reviewing deals, approving discounts, and we understand how Microsoft staff are goaled, paid and motivated.
Microsoft reseller knowledge
People that have actually worked at Microsoft licensing resellers and understand the reseller’s role in the deal and how to get the most value from them.
Microsoft Negotiation
Methodology: take all of the points above into a repeatable process that includes IP, software tools, documentation, and price benchmarking.
Use this as a 10 Point Checklist to determine if you’re hiring the right Microsoft negotiation advisor to help ensure you have a successful outcome.
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Meet the founder
Mark Kenny
Negotiation Advisor
As a former IT executive with 25 years’ experience in sales and sales leadership roles, Mark’s key motivation for founding Keystone was to help companies and government get the maximum value from their Microsoft investments.
Mark is recognized globally as an independent expert in negotiating Microsoft Enterprise Agreement contract renewals, with Keystone having done renewals in USA, Europe, and Asia.
An author of The Truth About Negotiating With Microsoft, Mark continues to teach negotiation to IT Procurement teams and at universities.
Mark’s career with Microsoft spanned 13 years, culminating as National Sales Manager for Office 365 and before that National Sales Manager for Software Licensing. This vast experience in cloud-computing assists clients in aligning: business requirements, budgets, IT Enterprise Architecture, licensing options, and creating consumption plans for Azure and M365. Mark’s detailed background knowledge of software licensing is used in creating the commercial negotiation strategy.
During his time at Microsoft, Mark created the Deal Coaching methodology that was used to train Microsoft salespeople on how to renew software licensing contracts on-time and on-budget. This resulted in negotiating over 200 contracts with the lowest average discounts in the company worldwide. This sales process was subsequently rolled out throughout Asia and the USA.
Prior to joining Microsoft Mark gained valuable experience by working in the Microsoft partner channel for Licensing Solution Providers and Microsoft Gold Partners. Mark has a degree from Queensland University of Technology in Business (Computing), has completed the Executive Education program at Harvard Business School in Strategic Negotiation, completed the Harvard Law School Negotiation Masterclass, and studied Negotiation and Influence at the MIT Sloan School of Management.
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