Billions of people use Microsoft products worldwide. (It sounds like a big claim, but that’s no exaggeration – at last count, the software giant had 1.4 billion users across the globe.)

If you run a company here in the UK, chances are that most people in your business will rely on Microsoft apps and tools to get things done.

But when it comes to your Microsoft subscription, do you actually use what you pay for?

And could you be overpaying for these vital services full stop?

With Microsoft tools costing just a few pounds per user per month, it can be easy to let these fees slide. But if you run a big team – or you’ve got plans for fast growth – your Microsoft fees can, and will, get out of hand very quickly, resulting in a much bigger bill than is necessary.

We’re all feeling the pinch in these difficult economic times, so wouldn’t it be refreshing to find a way to save cash or streamline your expenses in this area? We think so – which is why we are always advising our customers to keep a close eye on their usage and adjust their subscriptions as soon as they can.

Our top tip

Microsoft recently changed the way it licenses and bills for its programmes, including, crucially, Office 365. Now, businesses cannot remove licenses from their subscription until their contract comes to an end after a 12-month period.

So, it’s important to make a note of when your agreement is due for renewal and check your new requirements prior to entering your next contract.

At ECOM UK, checking our customers’ Microsoft subscription requirements is something we undertake as part of our service. We will notify you a few weeks before your Microsoft licences are due to expire and will carry out a review of your current and expected users to make sure your current setup will still work for you in the year ahead.

If it turns out you can take one or more users off your package, then great – there are savings to be made! If you need to add users or even switch to a different plan, we can assist with this, too.

We can also make sure you’re on the most appropriate subscription or package deal for the other Microsoft products you use within your firm, including OneDrive, Azure and Dynamics 365.

As an official Microsoft Partner, we are always on hand to help local SMEs get the most from their Microsoft products. Contact us if you don’t have IT expertise in-house and want to make sure you’re using this popular tech in the best and most cost-effective way.