Are you, like many other IT executives, finding your Enterprise Agreement (EA) renewal with Microsoft challenging? Navigating Microsoftโ€™s complex licensing rules can be daunting, and often the Microsoft quotation doesnโ€™t align with your actual needs. This is because ๐Œ๐ข๐œ๐ซ๐จ๐ฌ๐จ๐Ÿ๐ญ ๐ญ๐š๐ค๐ž๐ฌ ๐š ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ ๐Ÿ๐ข๐๐ž๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ข๐ž๐ฐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐š ๐ก๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐œ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ž๐ฑ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐›๐ฅ๐ž๐ฆ. Hereโ€™s where an experienced and independent Microsoft negotiator can make a difference:

๐Ÿ. ๐”๐ง๐œ๐จ๐ฏ๐ž๐ซ ๐•๐š๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ž ๐‚๐ซ๐ž๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐Ž๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ž๐ฌ: Beyond the black and white of licensing, a negotiator explores the grey areas. They might find ways to leverage underutilized licenses or negotiate better terms for future growth. This approach aligns Microsoftโ€™s offerings with your business objectives, uncovering opportunities for value creation.

๐Ÿ. ๐’๐ญ๐š๐ฒ ๐”๐ฉ๐๐š๐ญ๐ž๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐‹๐ข๐œ๐ž๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐š๐ง๐ ๐๐ž๐ ๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐“๐ซ๐ž๐ง๐๐ฌ: Unlike internal teams who navigate an EA renewal every three years, an independent Microsoft negotiator is continually engaged in the renewal processes. This constant involvement equips them with up-to-date insights on the monthly licensing changes and Microsoftโ€™s evolving deal tactics, allowing for adaptive strategies in response to these changes.

๐Ÿ‘. ๐ƒ๐ž๐ฏ๐ž๐ฅ๐จ๐ฉ ๐š ๐“๐ž๐œ๐ก๐ง๐จ๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ฒ ๐‘๐จ๐š๐๐ฆ๐š๐ฉ: A negotiator ensures that your EA renewal supports your long-term vision and doesnโ€™t just serve as a revenue conduit for Microsoft. They align Microsoftโ€™s offerings with your strategic goals, transforming your EA renewal from a transactional necessity into a strategic advantage.

๐Ÿ’. ๐„๐ง๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ž ๐€๐œ๐œ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐š๐›๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐š๐ง๐ ๐‘๐Ž๐ˆ: A Microsoft negotiator takes ownership of the outcome, making them accountable for producing a return on investment (ROI) on the cost of their services. This accountability mitigates any risks associated with the investment in hiring external help.

๐Ÿ“. ๐€๐๐ฏ๐จ๐œ๐š๐ญ๐ž ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐˜๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ˆ๐ง๐ญ๐ž๐ซ๐ž๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฌ: A negotiator raises the conversation above the licensing rule book. They balance the power dynamics in negotiations with Microsoft, advocating for fair outcomes and ensuring that your organizationโ€™s needs are heard and addressed.

In essence, hiring a Microsoft negotiator ensures that every dollar spent not only complies with licensing requirements but also propels your organization forward technologically and competitively.

Interested in learning more? Contact Keystone for more information. Letโ€™s transform your EA renewal into a strategic advantage together!