Case Studies on Negotiations
€181K Saved in Year One by Choosing CSP Over a Microsoft Enterprise Agreement
Microsoft confirmed its internal revenue floor for the year was €1.8 million. To reach it under a five-year Enterprise Agreement, the client would have had to commit to 1,500 Copilot licences in Year 1. The board chose CSP, with 300 Copilot licences.
€1.65 Million Saved on a Five-Year Microsoft Enterprise Agreement Renewal
Microsoft acknowledged a SKU error, a correction worth €1.5 million. The client declined another advisory firm’s offer of further savings for a success fee of up to €1 million. Increases at the next renewal are capped at 5%.
A $633,000 SPLA Audit Demand, Settled at $400,000
A $633,000 Microsoft SPLA audit demand against a US managed service provider settled at about $400,000 in cash, with the 25% uplift waived. Five years of reporting history held about $654,000 of over-reporting the audit could not find.
Microsoft Audit Scope Limited to Server-Side Operations
About 95% of a commercial bank’s estate was negotiated out of a formal Microsoft licensing audit. The one material finding, more than 500 Windows Server Datacenter cores, was resolved on the terms the bank set out in the audit report.
A US Telecoms Provider Cuts Six Figures From a Microsoft Renewal
Six figures a year cut from a Microsoft EA renewal, a materially cheaper CSP route signed before expiry, and the Microsoft account team retained. SAMexpert rebuilt a US telecom operator’s licence position, then ran a three-way competitive process.
€15M Microsoft Audit Overturned: Multi-Vendor Defence for Global Telecom Provider
Microsoft SPLA audit: €15M+ exposure avoided, €3.7M overpayment identified. SUSE audit closed with no penalties. Red Hat €1.5M exposure reduced by 50%. Four-phase compliance and negotiation programme.