“I need ten extra Microsoft licences.” This is something Cheops’s licensing specialists hear regularly. Yet it is rarely the start of the conversation. First, Cheops’s experts look at what the software will be used for and which features are actually needed, which often leads to different advice than the client originally expected. This way of working reflects how licence and subscription management has changed in recent years.
Today, organisations can choose from a wide range of subscriptions, licensing models and additional features. At the same time, software vendors’ offerings keep changing. This means that if you’re purchasing software, you need to ensure that choice aligns with the way the organisation works months or years down the line.
Why does licence management today call for specialist advice?
Software vendors regularly change their offerings. Microsoft is a good example of this. New features get added to existing subscriptions, and products change name or get a different licensing structure. AI features, too, are increasingly finding their way into existing software packages. This makes it harder for organisations to keep track of all the options and T&Cs themselves.
This is something Cheops has also noticed during conversations with clients. An organisation might ask for a specific licence because it has already been discussed internally, or because someone read something about it. But during the conversation, it sometimes turns out that a different plan would be a better fit for how the software will actually be used. In other cases, an existing licence is enough and nothing further is needed.
So the advice doesn’t start from a product, but from the client’s actual needs. This also means clients don’t need to stay up to date with all the developments going on at software vendors. They can rely on specialists who put that knowledge into practice every day.
Why doesn’t licence management stop after purchase?
A licence portfolio changes along with the organisation. Companies grow, employees take on different responsibilities and new technologies are introduced. This often has consequences for existing licences.
For Cheops, that follow-up is all part of the service. Clients can turn to Cheops not just to purchase new licences, but also for renewals, changes and upgrades. Cheops lets clients know in good time whenever a vendor updates their terms, or when a different subscription plan would be a better fit for them.
This keeps licences aligned with the organisation as it evolves. And because the specialists know their clients’ existing licence portfolio and IT environment, they can also put new requests into context much faster.
Why does licence management also contribute to a secure IT environment?
Licence management is often primarily associated with cost. Yet it also plays an important role in the continuity and security of your IT environment. When subscriptions expire unnoticed, or certain features are no longer available, this can have consequences for the organisation’s day-to-day operations.
Clients confirm just how important this is. Genkis Gurlek, IT manager and procurement manager at Claeys & Engels, places great importance on well-considered licence management – both to keep IT costs under control and to avoid risk. “That’s why we chose to source all our software and cloud subscriptions through the Cheops licensing team. Cheops keeps track of our entire software portfolio, so no oversight ever leads to a licence expiring, with all the consequences that would entail.”
How does a managed approach make the difference?
ou can order software licences from plenty of vendors. The added value of a managed service lies in the post-purchase follow-up.
Cheops’s specialists build up thorough knowledge of their clients’ IT environments, while also tracking developments among software vendors. This means the experts can keep clients informed about changes, suggest alternatives when they fit the client’s needs better, and help think through future choices.
For many IT departments, it’s difficult to keep up to date with new licensing models, price changes and additional features on top of their day-to-day work. A specialist partner takes that off their plate and translates changes into the client’s specific situation. These conversations often present options the organisation hadn’t even considered yet.
This service also ties in with the other components of Managed IT Asset Management. An up-to-date IT Asset Inventory shows which software is actually in use. Software Asset Management then checks whether licences are being used correctly and remain compliant. This keeps the licence portfolio aligned both with the IT environment and with the way the organisation is evolving.
Where licence management used to revolve mainly around purchasing and renewal, today it increasingly comes down to advice, follow-up and making well-considered choices for the long term.
Want to know whether your licence portfolio still aligns with your organisation’s needs?
Cheops’s licensing specialists are happy to help you explore how a managed approach can deliver well-considered licence and subscription management, with proactive advice and follow-up that grows alongside your organisation.