US Cloud’s Microsoft Enterprise Technical Support Services (METSS) delivers faster, more economical support by screened US domestic teams. Responsible contracting officers are able to reinvest hundreds of millions in savings into IT investments that better serve constituents or increase mission success. It’s no wonder why over 400 enterprises will replace Microsoft Unified Support (MUS) with US Cloud in 2024.
These services are designed to assist large-scale organizations in various aspects of technology implementation, from planning and deployment to ongoing maintenance and optimization.
Here’s an overview of what US Cloud Microsoft Enterprise Services offers:
Consulting Services: Expert guidance and consulting to help agencies with digital transformation, implementing new technologies, and optimizing existing Microsoft solutions. This includes strategy formulation, technology roadmaps, and custom solution development.
Support Services: US Cloud offers different levels of Microsoft support services tailored to enterprise needs. This can range from standard problem resolution to dedicated support engineers. These services aim to ensure minimal downtime and optimal performance of Microsoft products.
Deployment and Implementation: Assistance in deploying Microsoft solutions at scale. This includes planning, implementation, and management of the deployment process to ensure a smooth transition, whether it’s for new installations or upgrades.
Training and Education: Providing training resources and educational programs to help IT professionals and end-users within the organization get the most out of Microsoft products.
Managed Services: Ongoing management and optimization of Microsoft solutions. This can include monitoring, administration, and regular updates to ensure systems are running efficiently and securely.
Cybersecurity Services: Expert services to help protect against, detect, and respond to cybersecurity threats using Microsoft security products and technologies.
Custom Solutions Development: Development of custom solutions to meet specific business needs using Microsoft technologies, ensuring integration and alignment with existing systems.
Cloud Services: Guidance and support for migrating to and managing cloud solutions, particularly with Microsoft Azure, including cloud strategy, migration, optimization, and security.
Productivity and Collaboration Solutions: Assistance in deploying and maximizing Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) solutions, focusing on improving productivity, collaboration, and communication across the organization.
Business Applications: Implementing and optimizing Microsoft’s business applications like Dynamics 365, which includes ERP and CRM solutions tailored to the organization’s specific processes and needs.
Enterprise Mobility Management: Supporting the deployment and management of enterprise mobility solutions with Microsoft Intune and other related technologies, ensuring secure and efficient mobile device and application management.
Microsoft Enterprise Services at US Cloud plays a critical role for US Government and Defense agencies heavily invested in Microsoft technologies, ensuring they can fully leverage these tools to drive their mission objectives, enhance efficiency, and maintain a competitive edge in the global digital landscape.
Microsoft Unified Support is calculated as a percentage of your overall spend with Microsoft so anticipate Unified Support cost increases to follow. With 438 Federal agencies already spending billions on Microsoft Enterprise Services (MES) and Microsoft Enterprise Technical Support Services (METSS), there are literally hundreds of millions of dollars in savings available to them by replacing Microsoft Unified Support (MUS) with US Cloud.
As multi-year Government and Defense agency Microsoft support contracts come up for renewal, millions of dollars in immediate cost savings are available to Contract Officers by replacing Microsoft Unified Support (MUS) with US Cloud. Running Microsoft 5-year consumption forecasts with trailing Unified Support costs (based on consumption) overlayed, will yield savings well beyond the initial year’s 30-60% savings.
Upcoming Microsoft Government Price Increases
Microsoft 365 price increases will impact the public sector beginning in March 2024, with an increase of 10% for Office 365 G1. In March 2025 prices will increase yet again by 5%. For those public sector organizations with major contract renewals due in 2024 and 2025, these increases may amount to millions of dollars.
Anticipated Microsoft Government Price Increases
Azure will continue to be the biggest driver in US Government and Defense agency Microsoft budgets through 2025. However, in 2026 contract officers should anticipate significant increases (20-35%) in the cost of Microsoft 365G as Copilot moves out of testing and into production for many agencies.
To address public scrutiny on government spending, agencies must prioritize value for taxpayers’ money through initiatives like software, cloud, and support cost optimization.
These services are designed to help large organizations maximize their use of Microsoft products and technologies. The main components of these services include:
Direct Access to Technical Experts: Enterprises have access to Microsoft’s pool of technical experts for advice, problem resolution, and guidance on Microsoft technologies.
24/7 Support: Enterprise customers typically receive around-the-clock support to ensure that critical issues are addressed promptly, minimizing downtime.
Dedicated Support Engineers: Larger enterprise customers may have dedicated Microsoft support engineers assigned to their account. These engineers provide personalized assistance and understand the specific context of the business and its technical setup.
Proactive Support Services: Apart from reactive support, US Cloud also offers proactive services, such as regular Microsoft system health checks, performance tuning, and optimization advice to prevent issues before they occur.
Escalation Management: In case of complex issues, there are escalation paths to higher levels of expertise within US Cloud or to Microsoft product teams, ensuring that even the most challenging problems are addressed effectively.
Customized Support Plans: Microsoft Enterprise Technical Support Services at US Cloud often includes the ability to customize support plans to fit the specific needs of the agency, whether it’s the level of support, response times, or the types of services included.
Training and Educational Resources: Access to in-depth training materials, workshops, and seminars to educate enterprise IT staff on Microsoft products and best practices.
Product-specific Support: Specialized support for various Microsoft products like Azure, Office 365, Dynamics 365, Windows Server, SQL Server, and others, ensuring expert assistance for each specific technology stack.
Security and Compliance Assistance: Guidance on security best practices, help with compliance issues, and support for managing cybersecurity threats.
Integrated Cloud Support: For enterprises utilizing Microsoft Azure or other cloud services, support includes guidance on cloud architecture, best practices for deployment, and help with managing cloud resources.
Premier Support: This is a high-end support offering that provides all the above services with additional benefits like a dedicated account manager, priority handling of support requests, and more.
Microsoft Enterprise Technical Support Services at US Cloud are essential for large organizations relying on Microsoft technologies, ensuring they have the necessary support to maintain, optimize, and troubleshoot their IT environments.
Faster problem resolution helps Government agencies better serve their constituents and increase Defense agencies mission success. Fast resolution in Microsoft support offers a multitude of benefits for your organization, impacting both productivity, finances, and overall user experience. Here’s a breakdown of the key advantages:
Reduced Downtime and Increased Productivity
Financial Advantages
Enhanced User Experience and Satisfaction
Additional Benefits
US Government and Defense Support Takeaways
While Microsoft Unified Support offers comprehensive services directly from the source of Microsoft products, many large organizations are finding decreasing value in the OEM’s support. Here are some reasons why agencies are making the switch:
Cost Savings: One of the primary reasons for switching to US Cloud is the potential for reduced costs. US Cloud often offers more competitive pricing structures compared to Microsoft Unified Support, which can be a significant factor for responsible agency contracting officers.
US Domestic Teams: Contractually US Cloud will guarantee that all support data will reside in the US and that all service delivery will come from screened US domestic teams. This workforce and data sovereignty helps agencies secure their IT supply chain and maintain compliance.
Faster Response Times: All organizations report faster response times on average of 6 minutes in 2023 backed by US Cloud’s 15 minute response SLA for all ticket severities. This can be crucial for agencies where even minor delays can have significant impacts on mission success.
Faster Resolution Times: Every minute counts when a mission-critical system is down. Organizations report faster resolution times at US Cloud ranging from 20-80% faster depending on the technology and ticket complexity.
Customized Support Plans: US Cloud provides more flexibility in terms of customizable support plans that are tailored to the specific needs of an organization, as opposed to the more standardized offerings of Microsoft Unified Support.
Personalized Service: US Cloud offer a more personalized service experience. This includes dedicated account managers or support teams who are familiar with the specific IT environment and history of the agency.
Avoiding Vendor Lock-in: Opting for US Cloud can reduce dependency on Microsoft and potentially give organizations more flexibility and control over their IT support structure.
Simpler Engagement Model: Gov and DoD agencies find US Cloud to offer simpler or more direct engagement models, with less bureaucracy and more straightforward service agreements.
Budget Allocation: Switching to a more cost-effective Microsoft support solution can free up budget resources that can be reallocated to other critical IT projects or areas of the agency.
Agencies should conduct a 5-year Microsoft consumption forecast to understand the magnitude of the future cost savings and cost avoidance opportunity by replacing Microsoft Unified Support (MUS) with US Cloud. It is also highly recommended to conduct a pilot or proof of concept to validate US Cloud’s Microsoft support capabilities prior to engagement.
Screened US domestic support delivery for supply chain security offers several critical advantages compared to relying on OEM vendors outsourcing various support duties overseas. Here’s a breakdown of some key reasons why it can be advantageous:
Government Agency and Defense Benefits
Enhanced Security and Compliance
Improved Communication and Collaboration
Faster Response Times and Reduced Downtime
By strategically leveraging US-based support alongside other security measures, your organization can significantly enhance supply chain security, reduce risks, and build a more resilient and reliable operating environment.