Microsoft User Profiling Guide for Hospitals

USER PROFILING FOR MICROSOFT COST OPTIMIZATION

Formerly, hospitals would often utilize shared devices and give access to Microsoft products to many users per device, but now, they are being forced to license their entire user count. With the move to subscriptions for user-based Office 365 (O365) and Microsoft 365 (M365) licensing, hospitals have seen software costs skyrocket.

On top of this, many of the features of the new Microsoft product suites are tailored to corporate users, but hospitals’ primary use case is focused on patient care. Because of these product changes, it’s more important than ever for hospitals to understand their user needs and map them to Microsoft product suites and create optimized user profiles.

User Profiling is a Microsoft purchasing strategy where an organization identifies all the different internal user groups and 
assigns different Microsoft Product Suites to them to minimize the total cost of licensing through edition optimization. This Microsoft User Profiling report outlines how hospitals can take advantage of Microsoft User Profiling to optimize cost and reduce purchase risk in the following sections:

1. Microsoft User Profiling Checklist

Understanding how much product you need and when you need it is central to your ability to obtain the best deals. But because building your own demand model is so complicated and time-consuming, many customers defer to Microsoft’s projections, which is often inflated to drive up cost. To help clients mitigate this risk, ClearEdge developed a 4-point checklist for building more accurate user profiles and demand models. 

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2. Microsoft Alternatives for Hospitals

One of the most important steps in completing user profiling is to consider competition where appropriate. Though replacing the entire Microsoft platform is nearly impossible, there are a number of viable alternatives to individual solutions that can be used as low-cost alternatives when planning out your product demand. This report includes a matrix of the main competitive solutions to each of the major Microsoft product areas.  

3. Top 3 Risks for Hospitals Purchasing Microsoft

To help deal makers prepare for a Microsoft proposal, this guide walks you through the top three risk inherent when purchasing from Microsoft, including:

• Bundle Re-Brands and Price Increases: Microsoft bundles key productivity, security, and communications software within the M365 suite offerings — Windows OS, O365, and EMS (Enterprise Mobility and Security). But these bundles constantly change, leaving customers susceptible to frequent and significant price increases. 

• Demand Inflation: Microsoft’s licensing structure is intentionally complex, making it hard for buyers to understand and/or validate the Microsoft-provided demand model. As a result, if customers do not build their own demand through User Profiling, there is a high likelihood that inflation will occur. 

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• Running Out the Clock: Microsoft has a well-defined calendar of activities that span the agreement cycle and prepares them for customers’ renewals. If customers are not proactive, Microsoft will use the renewal deadline as a scare tactic to push uncompetitive pricing.

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When you adhere to Microsoft’s negotiation timeline and agenda, you will have little opportunity to negotiate a better deal. User Profiling forces customers to be proactive in their Microsoft planning and take control of the deal away from the vendor.

If you are looking for assistance on an upcoming Microsoft purchase or want to stress-test your environment to ensure your licensing is optimized, contact us to meet with one of our Microsoft Practice Leaders to assess your current situation.

DOWNLOAD THE MICROSOFT REPORT

Download Our Microsoft User Profiling Guide

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