Background
Insight recognised that the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) was facing a critical challenge during its ambitious digital transformation programme. The implementation of a new ERP and CRM solution using Microsoft Dynamics 365 was underway, but unforeseen changes in Microsoft’s licensing model posed a significant financial risk, threatening the project’s feasibility and the organisation’s budget.
Challenge
As Microsoft introduced a new licensing model, ACCA was confronted with a very significant cost increase for renewing its Dynamics 365 Enterprise Agreement. This unexpected change hindered its digital transformation plans, as the increased cost was not accounted for in the organisation’s original budget.
Adding to the complexity, ACCA was still in the design phase of its Dynamics 365 solution, with critical decisions yet to be made. Previous choices had not considered the new licensing structure, potentially leading to further cost increases. With a looming renewal deadline, ACCA required Insight’s expertise to navigate the situation and ensure the success of its digital transformation.
“Insight provided meticulous analysis of our user profiles, which considered factors like software usage, access needs, job functions, and strategic negotiation with Microsoft. This transformed a potentially costly situation into a strategic advantage, saving us seven-figures and ensuring the success of the project.”
Douglas Galt, Head of Commercial & Operational Services, ACCA
“Insight truly grasped the urgency and complexity of our situation. Its deep understanding of Microsoft software licensing and negotiation expertise was instrumental in securing a financially viable solution for our digital transformation.”
Tony McClelland, CIO, ACCA
Solution
Insight’s Optimisation and Governance consultants swiftly addressed ACCA’s challenge through a series of remote strategy planning workshops that surfaced its business priorities and long-term technology goals. A detailed deployment and adoption roadmap was developed, ensuring clarity on the “time to value” for each technology investment stream.
A key focus was on Optimised User Profiling, a process of structuring licences to match end user demands precisely, ensuring cost-effectiveness and flexibility. Insight worked collaboratively with ACCA’s deployment partner, challenging design decisions that could inflate costs.
This approach resulted in a future-proofed contract for ACCA, featuring a ramped discount structure perfectly aligned with its adoption roadmap, maximising the return on investment. Insight’s Microsoft licensing negotiation expertise secured a huge £5m cost saving, essential contract amendments to reduce total cost of ownership, and future price certainty, through a committed discount for the next Enterprise Agreement term.
Additionally, Insight worked in collaboration with ACCA’s procurement leadership team to negotiate custom contract amendments, optimising ACCA’s data storage design and providing the flexibility to scale up without overcommitting. These solutions enabled ACCA to maintain budget control, achieve significant cost savings, and future-proof its technology investments, ensuring a successful and sustainable digital future.
Why Insight?
As an existing Insight managed services client, ACCA already trusted Insight’s expertise and capabilities. When faced with this unexpected licensing challenge, the team turned to Insight due to its proven track record in licensing optimisation and strategic negotiation.
As the leading Solutions Integrator, Insight has a deep understanding of Microsoft’s licensing models, enabling it to quickly assess the situation and develop a tailored solution. Insight collaborated effectively with all stakeholders making it the ideal partner to guide ACCA through this complex challenge, ensuring the continued success of their digital transformation while leveraging their existing relationship.
Insight’s ‘partnership-first’ approach enabled ACCA and Microsoft to agree a deal that worked for both companies, strengthening their strategic relationship.
