Negotiating Your Microsoft Unified Contract

This guide outlines key strategies for negotiating Microsoft Unified contracts, particularly in light of the transition from Premier Support. It emphasizes the importance of understanding Unified Support's complexity and provides actionable tips for effective negotiations. Starting negotiations early is crucial, as waiting can diminish leverage. The guide advises separating support from Enterprise Agreements (EA) since Unified Support pricing is formula-based with limited negotiation flexibility. Documenting actual usage of support services is recommended to highlight discrepancies between paid and utilized services. The guide also suggests evaluating the necessity of 'unlimited' support and questioning the value of proactive support tools. For Level A customers, it notes that EA spending influences Unified pricing formulas. Additionally, it encourages exploring third-party support alternatives and obtaining second opinions from external experts to secure better agreements. Finally, it discusses auditing support agreements to ensure accuracy and avoid unnecessary costs.