Microsoft Enterprise Agreement: Despite the price increase, Heras achieves significant cost savings

TIMETOACT supports Heras with license optimizations for Microsoft 365 (M365) and Microsoft Azure
Success Story as PDF

Note: This reference dates from before the merger and was created by TIMETOACT – now part of ATVANTAGE. Our experience remains the same – only our name has changed. You can find more information about the merger here.

The prices of Microsoft products are continuously rising – in order to save costs for Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365, Heras chose the TIMETOACT cost optimization approach for Microsoft. With success: Overall, the experts were able to save 11 percent of Microsoft‘s costs despite the price increase.

Initial situation:

  • High license costs due to Microsoft 365 and Azure
  • Foreseeable end of the three-year Microsoft Agreement and upcoming renegotiations

Solution:

  • Identification of optimization potentials in license usage with TIMETOACT tool
  • Determination of new license requirements as a basis for contract negotiations

Added value:

  • Alignment of license plans with user requirements and removal of inactive users
  • Cost savings for Microsoft Azure and M365 of around 11 percent

Well prepared for Microsoft contract negotiations with license optimizations

For years, Microsoft has been one of the most valuable brands in the world. There is hardly a company left that works completely without Word, Excel or one of the manufacturer‘s numerous other products. Microsoft‘s popularity is reflected in the high prices of software and hardware. In addition, the use is accompanied by extensive, sometimes non-transparent rules, which must first be understood through.

As the end of the three-year Microsoft Agreement approached in 2022, Heras enlisted the support of TIMETOACT‘s licensing experts.

Core Requirement

The aim of Heras and TIMETOACT was to identify optimization potentials in license use, to exploit them in the next contract negotiations with Microsoft and thus to save costs or avoid cost increases. On the one hand, the focus was on the Microsoft 365 product range, and on the other hand, on the cloud computing platform Microsoft Azure, which is used by Heras as a solution for Infrastructure-as-a- Service (IaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS).

We were highly satisfied with the professional support of TIMETOACT and the experts and can recommend TIMETOACT to all customers who are facing similar challenges.

Rick Driessen Service Delivery Manager Heras

Optimization tool helps to uncover potential savings

Insight into the User Activity Report at Heras

In a first step, TIMETOACT created a common baseline and reviewed the current Microsoft contract as well as the monthly Microsoft Azure costs.

Subsequently, the purchased licenses had to be compared with the actual use of Microsoft products in order to identify possible discrepancies and optimization potential. In order to uncover optimization potential, TIMETOACT uses tools specially developed for optimization projects.

With various standard reports from the Office Admin Portal, the tool can be set up according to the customer‘s needs in just a few minutes and then documents the use of the software – in this case M365 – in the company and compares it with the current license inventory. In this way, different types of users can be determined, depending on the type and intensity of use. If, for example, a light user (low usage) is assigned a very extensive usage license, there is potential for savings and a corresponding need for action.

In the case of Heras, our experts identified various inactive users. In addition, based on the individual requirements of the users, new user profiles could be derived, suitable license plans could be assigned to them and thus optimizations could be made. The identified license requirements served as the basis for the contract discussions with Microsoft on Microsoft Azure and M365. TIMETOACT also stood by Heras and supported them in the negotiations.

License overview at Heras

Heras saves 11 percent of its Microsoft costs despite price increase

The extensive license analysis paid off: Heras realized cost savings of around 11 percent for Microsoft Azure and M365 – despite Microsoft‘s announced price increases. For example, the manufacturer raised the prices of its products between 10 and 25 percent during the period. With the support of TIMETOACT, Heras adapted its licensing plans to the requirements of the users and removed inactive users from its system.

Thanks to our standardized and proven approach, which is individually tailored to customer needs, we were able to meet Heras‘ high requirements and meet all project goals.

Simon Pletschacher Manager IT Performance Strategy TIMETOACT
Success Story as PDF

About Heras

Heras is an European leading end-to-end supplier of permanent and mobile perimeter protection solutions. We operate in over 25 countries and employ more than 1100 highly skilled experts.

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