Working with software licencing costs

When JJS Manufacturing approached Quiss Technology to purchase new IT hardware, including Servers, SAN’s, desktop and laptop computers, they did not expect to save more than £80,000 over the next three years on their software licensing costs.

By Quiss understanding their Microsoft agreement was coming up for renewal, it sparked off a conversation between Ian Martin the Director of IT Operations and the Quiss Technology technical team. Part of what the team at Quiss do is to try and really understand a client’s business to ensure what is being requested and supplied is the best solution to address the issue at hand. When it’s new computers for new employees or to replace older machines, that’s an easy ask.

Understanding the requirements

By really understanding a business future needs raises questions around Microsoft licencing and whether it delivers as it should, that’s an area for a specialist like Quiss.

Large Account Resellers (LARS) can only supply a rigid set of licencing models for Microsoft products and sometimes that model does not reflect the exacting needs of a business. Quiss as a Gold reseller and Cloud Solutions Provider (CSP) can tailor different programs to fit better the requirement.

By switching to a different, more flexible model, that accommodated the use in the Cloud and on-premise, Quiss were able to deliver a saving of approximately £ 80,000.00 over a three-year period.

Ian Martin, Director of IT Operations for JJS Manufacturing commented: “Microsoft Licencing is complex and not part of a specialist electronics company’s day to day thoughts. I would imagine many companies renew on the same schemes they already have running, yet we now know that the program we had run and that had suited us for the last three years did not facilitate our gradual move to more cloud services going forward.

Quiss spent the time to understand our operation and how we use the software today and how we wish to tomorrow. This was not addressed by others.

Outcome

I urge any other business using Microsoft software, to take a long hard look at their licencing. Not all licencing is the same and you could save thousands, or even tens of thousands as in our case – good job all round.”

Commercial Services Manager for Quiss Technology, Steve Howe, said: “This is a highly technical area of licencing and not for the amateur. Whilst there was little wrong with the current arrangements, it was just not as efficient as it could be. And that costs money.

To deliver the most effective use of licences requires a deep understanding of a client’s business. Once we know what is needed, when it’s needed and who needs it, we can advise the most practical and cost-effective solution.

“Not every client is going to achieve a saving of the magnitude we realised for JJS Manufacturing, but there are savings to be had and I doubt few businesses would pass up the opportunity to cut costs.

JJS Manufacturing is an Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) provider with assembly plants in the UK and Central Europe. JJS supports OEMs that design and sell a range of complex electronic/electro-mechanical products on a long-term partnership basis.

Client says

“Quiss spent time to understand our licensing needs today, but by switching to a program not available via others we saved money and better prepared ourselves for tomorrow. Not all licencing is the same and you can save thousands, or even tens of thousands as in our case – good job all round.”