Essential Energy Success Story

Escalating Unified Support Costs

After transitioning from Premier to Microsoft Unified Support, contract pricing began to climb every year—driven largely by increased Azure consumption rather than actual support usage. Essential Energy was paying significantly more for a service the team wasn’t fully consuming.

A Misalignment Between Microsoft’s Model and Real-World Needs

Microsoft’s shift toward consultancy-style, proactive engagements created a gap. Essential Energy’s IT teams needed fast break-fix support for critical issues—not advisory sessions or proactive roadmapping.

As Wendy put it:

“We’re buying a large service but we’re not mature enough or everybody’s too busy to stop and smell the roses. We’ve got a problem, we need it fixed.”

Pressure to Find More Cost-Effective Options

As a state-owned corporation, Essential Energy has a responsibility to pursue fiscally responsible solutions. Continuing to absorb unchecked vendor price increases wasn’t an option.

The US Cloud Partnership in Action

What makes the Highmark Health + US Cloud relationship work is a combination of cost efficiency and people-first support:

Responsive TAM Relationship

Highmark’s dedicated TAM, Tim, is described as “very responsive, proactive, and transparent.” He provides continuity and institutional knowledge Microsoft never delivered.

Time Saved on Escalations

Instead of waiting on Microsoft, US Cloud advocates for Highmark, pushing escalations forward and keeping communication clear.

Proactive Improvement

Using US Cloud’s proactive hours, Highmark has documented and optimized its multi-domain environment, uncovering misconfigurations and aligning to best practices.

Flexible Ticketing

Unlike Microsoft, where only a few designated users could open tickets, US Cloud allows broader access across Highmark’s teams, making support more accessible.

Momentum Shift: A Fresh Path Forward

Wendy led the due-diligence effort and proposed exploring third-party support. The catalyst was simple but compelling: the value wasn’t matching the spend.

Key realization:

They needed a partner who offered true break-fix responsiveness and control over support hours, rather than an oversized, underutilized package driven by Microsoft’s changing business model.

This turning point led Essential Energy to US Cloud—where they found a better-aligned support structure, predictable pricing, and a willingness to meet them where their teams actually operate.

Why US Cloud Was a Better Option for Essential Energy

After switching from Microsoft Unified Support to US Cloud, the difference between support models was immediately clear. It was also clear how US Cloud has the edge over Microsoft Unified Support. Below are some of the specific advantages experienced by the team at Essential Energy.

Break-Fix Support the Teams Can Count On

Essential Energy needed immediate, issue-focused help—not long engagements or theoretical roadmaps. US Cloud’s model delivered exactly what they were missing.

A Rightsized Contract That Reflects Real Usage

Instead of paying for an inflated Unified Support package, Essential Energy now pays only for the hours they actually need. No penalties for Azure growth. No runaway consumption-based pricing.

Confidence in a Partner Who is “Fanatical” About Service

Wendy shared that US Cloud’s promise of fanatical support helped her champion this change internally. That promise—and the delivery behind it—gave her confidence in recommending a transition away from the OEM.

Empowering a Strategic Stand Against Vendor Lock-In

For Wendy, the decision was not only financial—it was a strategic move to remove her team from Microsoft’s monopolistic grasp:

“Nothing ventured, nothing gained. It sends a message that we’re not gonna put up with it. We’re not gonna just take whatever price you put on us.”

By choosing US Cloud, Essential Energy demonstrated that large enterprises can push back against escalating vendor costs and choose a partner that prioritizes their success.

Ongoing Impact of Third-Party Support for Essential Energy

After their switch to US Cloud Microsoft support, Wendy and her team at Essential Energy experienced long-term benefits of rightsized support. Here are a few examples of what made their support contract with US Cloud successful:

• Cost savings without compromise: Essential Energy now benefits from predictable, rational pricing aligned to their operational reality.
• Service quality that meets expectations: Wendy reports the experience as “all good”—a reflection of steady, reliable support.
• Greater strategic leverage: The switch reinforces Essential Energy’s commitment to pursuing better value and challenging unfavorable market dynamics.
• More time for IT teams to focus on outcomes: With responsive break-fix support available, teams can resolve issues faster and maintain momentum.

Conclusion

Essential Energy’s move from Microsoft Unified Support to US Cloud demonstrates the power of aligning support services with actual needs rather than legacy vendor models. By choosing a partner dedicated to responsive break-fix assistance, transparent pricing, and exceptional service, Essential Energy regained control of costs—without sacrificing quality.

As Wendy’s experience shows, even large, public utility organizations can rethink entrenched vendor relationships and come out stronger, more efficient, and more empowered.

US Cloud is proud to support Essential Energy as they continue delivering reliable, essential services to millions across Australia.