Home Microsoft Advisory Services

Microsoft Advisory Services:
Stop Overpaying Microsoft.

Microsoft is the largest software cost line for most enterprises — and the most commercially aggressive at renewal. Enterprise Agreements, Azure commitments, M365 seat counts, Copilot deployments, SPLA obligations: every one of these is negotiable with the right independent expertise. Redress Compliance delivers that expertise with no Microsoft ties, no reseller conflicts, and a fee model that puts our interests on the same side as yours.

Book a Free 30-Minute Consultation Microsoft Knowledge Hub
200+
Microsoft engagements completed
$100M+
Verified client savings
EA · CSP · MCA
All Microsoft agreement types covered
100%
Independent of Microsoft

Microsoft's account teams are optimised around Microsoft's revenue targets. Your EA renewal, your True-Up, your Azure commitment review, your Copilot rollout proposal — every interaction is designed to increase Microsoft's share of your IT budget. Most enterprises accept Microsoft's commercial framing because they lack independent benchmark data and the specialist expertise to challenge it. Redress Compliance provides both. We have no Microsoft partnership, no reseller margin to protect, and no interest in Microsoft's growth targets. Every recommendation we make is built around one question: what is the best commercial outcome for your organisation?

Our Microsoft advisory services cover every stage of the commercial relationship — from pre-renewal benchmarking to mid-contract optimisation, audit defence, M&A due diligence, and SPLA compliance for hosting providers. Below is the full service portfolio with links to detailed service pages for each area.

Microsoft Advisory Services

We do not resell Microsoft licences. We have no Microsoft partnership. Every recommendation is built to reduce your Microsoft costs and strengthen your commercial position.

📊

EA Optimisation Service

Take full control of your Enterprise Agreement. We analyse every licence, cloud commitment, and usage trend to uncover waste, identify savings opportunities, and ensure your EA reflects your actual consumption needs — not Microsoft's growth ambitions.

Example: Revealed $3.1M in achievable savings across M365, Azure, and SQL Server for a global manufacturer whose EA had not been independently reviewed in three years.
EA Optimisation Service
🛡️

Microsoft Audit Defence

When Microsoft or their appointed audit firm initiates a licence review, the data you share and how you respond in the first 30 days determines the outcome. We take control of the audit process — challenging deployment assumptions, disputing licence counts, and negotiating claims down to the genuine liability.

Example: Reduced a $2.1M SQL Server and Windows Server audit claim to a $180K settlement for an energy sector client whose internal team had begun responding without expert support.
Microsoft Audit Defence
⚖️

Microsoft Contract Negotiation

Microsoft wants multi-year growth commitments with maximum flexibility for Microsoft and minimum flexibility for you. We restructure the commercial proposal — challenging bundled SKUs, negotiating price lock and True-Up flexibility, and securing contract terms that protect your budget for the full EA term.

Example: Delivered $4.7M in savings on a $22M EA renewal for a FTSE 100 retailer, including a price lock clause and a right-to-reduce on M365 seats at the annual True-Up.
Contract Negotiation Service
☁️

Microsoft Licence Optimisation

M365 over-assignment, Azure Reserved Instance waste, under-claimed Hybrid Benefit, Copilot seats with no active users — Microsoft's portfolio creates multiple sources of avoidable spend. We identify every one and implement the savings without disrupting operations. Our Microsoft assessment tools give you a preliminary savings estimate before the engagement begins.

Example: Identified $620K in Azure commitment savings by right-sizing Reserved Instances and applying Hybrid Benefit across SQL and Windows workloads for a logistics group.
Licence Optimisation Service
🔒

SPLA Audit Defence

Microsoft SPLA audits target hosting providers and ISVs with some of the most aggressive and complex compliance requirements in enterprise software. Claims regularly reach eight figures. We manage the full defence process — controlling data disclosure, challenging inflated findings, and protecting your SPLA agreement through to settlement. Average claim reduction: 85%.

Example: Defended an ISV against a $1.8M SPLA back-billing claim, settling at $210K with improved forward reporting terms and no impact on the SPLA agreement.
SPLA Audit Defence Service
🔄

Microsoft M&A Advisory

Microsoft licensing is consistently one of the largest undisclosed liabilities in enterprise M&A. Undisclosed True-Up obligations, Azure commitment deficits, EA change-of-control clauses, and SPLA compliance gaps regularly surface post-close as material unexpected costs. We identify every liability pre-close, manage the EA restructure through the transaction, and deliver post-close consolidation savings of 15–25% on the combined Microsoft agreement.

Example: Identified $1.4M in hidden licence exposure during a cross-border acquisition — including a pending True-Up and Azure deficit absent from the data room — and secured a 12-month True-Up deferral post-close.
Microsoft M&A Advisory Service
Quick links: EA Optimisation Audit Defence Contract Negotiation Licence Optimisation SPLA Audit Defence M&A Advisory EA Benchmarking Report

Let Us Benchmark Your Current Agreement

We will benchmark your current Microsoft agreement against comparable enterprises, identify the savings opportunity, and deliver a no-obligation business case with projected ROI — before you commit to anything. Most benchmarking engagements complete within two weeks and identify savings of 15–30% on the current agreement value.

Book a Confidential Call Contact Us

Or call us directly: +1 (239) 402-7397

From First Call to Measurable Savings

No commitment until you see a business case with projected savings. Typical onboarding takes less than two weeks.

1
🔒

Sign an NDA

We sign a mutual NDA before any data is shared. Standard process, typically same-day. Confidentiality is protected from the first conversation.

2
📞

Discovery Call

A confidential call covering your Microsoft estate, EA timeline, Azure commitments, and the specific commercial pressures you are facing. No obligation.

3
📄

Share Your Contracts

Share your EA, CSP, or MCA agreements and any Microsoft proposals. We review under NDA and identify every optimisation and negotiation opportunity.

4
📈

ROI Business Case

We deliver a detailed business case showing projected savings, benchmarked pricing, and our fixed advisory fee — so you see the return before you commit.

5
🚀

We Get Started

Once approved, your Microsoft engagement begins immediately with a dedicated advisory team. Most clients see first measurable savings within 60 days.

Start with Step 1 — Book a Call

No commitment. No cost until you see the business case.

Why Enterprises Choose Us for Microsoft

💡

100% Independent

No Microsoft partnership. No reseller margin. No conflict of interest. Every recommendation is built to reduce your Microsoft costs and increase your negotiating leverage — not Microsoft's revenue.

🧠

Deep Microsoft Expertise

EA, CSP, MCA, Azure MACC, M365 E3/E5, SQL Server, Windows Server, Power Platform, Copilot, SPLA — we know every Microsoft licensing model, every commercial lever, and every account team tactic.

📈

Benchmarked Commercial Data

Our benchmark database covers hundreds of comparable Microsoft deals. We know what organisations in your sector, at your spend level, have achieved in EA negotiations. Microsoft's account team does not bring that data to the table. We do.

🏗️

Full Transaction Lifecycle

From pre-renewal benchmarking to mid-contract optimisation, audit defence, M&A due diligence, and SPLA compliance — we cover the entire Microsoft commercial relationship, not just the renewal event.

Fee Structures That Align Interests

Fixed-fee retainer or Pay When We Save contingency — you choose the model. Under contingency, we are paid only on verified savings. Our commercial interest and yours are identical from day one.

🏆

Proven Track Record

200-plus Microsoft engagements completed. $100M-plus in verified client savings. Zero clients who engaged us for audit defence have accepted Microsoft's opening position. The outcomes speak for themselves.

Microsoft Case Studies

Real outcomes from real Microsoft engagements. Every case started with a client facing Microsoft pressure — and ended with measurable savings.

Microsoft EA
$3.1M Saved

Global Manufacturer — EA Renewal Benchmarking

Microsoft's renewal was accepted internally as competitive. Our benchmarking revealed $3.1M in achievable savings across M365, Azure, and SQL Server. The client renegotiated using our data and secured a three-year price lock.

Audit Defence
$1.9M Reduction

Energy Sector — SQL/Windows Server Audit

Microsoft's audit firm presented a $2.1M claim for SQL Server and Windows Server under-deployment. We challenged the measurement methodology, applied correct Product Use Rights, and settled at $180K.

Contract Negotiation
$4.7M Saved

FTSE 100 Retailer — $22M EA Renewal

Delivered $4.7M in savings on a $22M EA renewal — including a price lock clause, right-to-reduce on M365 seats at the annual True-Up, and the removal of automatic Azure consumption uplifts.

SPLA Audit
$1.6M Reduction

European ISV — SPLA Back-Billing Claim

Defended an ISV against a $1.8M SPLA back-billing claim covering Windows Server and SQL Server hosting deployments across 180 customer environments. Settled at $210K with no impact on the SPLA agreement.

M&A Advisory
$1.4M Liability Identified

Private Equity Acquisition — Cross-Border Technology

Pre-close due diligence identified $1.4M in hidden Microsoft licence exposure — including a pending True-Up and Azure commitment deficit absent from the data room. Both were reflected in the final deal price adjustment.

Licence Optimisation
$620K Annual Saving

Logistics Group — Azure and M365 Right-Sizing

Identified $620K in annual Azure savings through Reserved Instance restructuring, Hybrid Benefit application across SQL and Windows workloads, and the reclamation of 1,200 over-assigned M365 E5 licences.

Free Monthly Newsletter

Get Microsoft Licensing Intelligence
Delivered to Your Inbox

EA benchmarks, audit alerts, M365 and Azure contract traps, and negotiation tactics — from the advisors behind 500+ Microsoft engagements.

Subscribe Now Company email only · No spam