Microsoft licensing

Managing their outdated Microsoft licenses was a major problem for Amicus. A direct upgrade was not an option, so an intermediate step was required. Because of the pandemic, the move to the cloud gained momentum internally and we allowed Amicus to innovate at their own pace.

Once the internal priorities had been set, an intensive period of negotiation with Microsoft got underway.  However, the solutions initially offered by Microsoft were not ideal for our client’s situation and we made alternative suggestions that we felt were more suitable. Our preferred approach was a mix of cloud and on-premise solutions.

Reduced licensing costs

By fully understanding their actual Microsoft licensing requirements, Amicus have been able to achieve significant cost savings. In all, the savings equate to over €500,000 per year. This demonstrates the value of an independent, specialist view when undertaking license optimization. Microsoft have their own roadmap that they want their clients to follow, but this is not always in their clients’ best interests.

Our approach is to first look at what our client needs and develop a clear strategy before entering negotiations. In this case, the negotiations between Microsoft and Amicus were particularly challenging. However, this can be viewed as a positive thing. The market believes that standing firm against major organizations such as Microsoft will upset the relationship. Our experience has provided us a different perspective as by entering tough negotiations armed with knowledge you can actually strengthen the mutual bond.

Independent Microsoft licensing and negotiation support

Throughout the process it was our priority to keep key stakeholders within the organization informed and updated. The IT Manager has gained the full support of The Board of Directors by demonstrating a clear vision that ultimately strengthened the negotiating position with Microsoft.

The Microsoft licensing negotiations yielded the desired outcome and achieved an excellent result for our client. Not only have cost savings been achieved compared to the previous three years, but Amicus have also regained control. They are now able to take innovative steps, without the need to carry out migrations within a very short span. At ITAA we recognize that cloud usage is growing, but also recognize that it is important to look at what a client really needs and where they want to go before implementing changes.

The close collaboration between Wim Zuman, our Microsoft Vertical Lead, and Amicus continues.

ITAA can help your organization optimize its software licenses and provide support with vendor negotiations.  Please contact us to find out more.

*Protecting our clients’ confidence is of utmost importance at ITAA. While our success stories are based on true projects, we have used fictitious names and removed or changed other identifiable details.