Wella, a global leader in beauty and personal care, operates with a complex software environment across Microsoft 365, Azure, and Dynamics 365. As part of its digital transformation, Wella sought to optimize licensing efficiency, control rising costs, and align ongoing technology consumption with upcoming business strategies. With its Microsoft EA due for renewal, Wella engaged 2‑Data to deliver structured, usage‑backed optimization and negotiation support that balanced compliance, cost, and strategic alignment.
→ Microsoft Enterprise Agreement (EA) renewal approaching, covering Microsoft 365, Azure, Dynamics 365.
→ Rising costs and complexity due to Microsoft price increases over prior three years.
→ Risk of over‑provisioned M365 licenses, misaligned entitlements, and compliance exposure.
→ Comprehensive assessment of current and future estate across Microsoft 365, Azure, Dynamics 365.
→ Cost modelling and license allocation optimization through persona‑based profiling.
→Development of an optimized Bill of Materials mapped to actual usage and roadmap to secure favorable EA terms based on assessment data.
→ Achieved $3 million in cost savings over a 3-year contract term
→ Mitigated price increases through a favorable renewals over the contract term.
→ Aligned licensing footprint to true usage and future business needs.→ Strengthened compliance posture and governance for M365 and EA true‑ups.
Over the prior three years, Microsoft implemented material price increases across its cloud and license portfolio, putting pressure on EA renewal budgets.
Wella’s estate spanned Microsoft 365, Azure, and Dynamics 365. The client lacked precision in license mapping, risking both over‑ and under‑licensing across varied user profiles and workloads.
Without clear visibility into actual usage and user roles, Wella faced potential over‑provisioning of M365 licenses, inflated spend, and audit exposure.
2‑Data conducted a full inventory of entitlements and consumption. They mapped usage across the cloud and on‑premises environments and identified areas of overspend, under‑utilization, and mis‑alignment.
Using workshops with business units, license profiles were aligned to user roles and usage patterns. This enabled creation of an optimized license mix and defensible Bill of Materials.
Backed by cost‑benefit models and market benchmarks, 2‑Data guided Wella through negotiations with Microsoft. This ensured favorable terms were secured throughout the three‑year EA renewal.
License optimization and negotiation yielded approximately $3 million in total savings over the 3-year EA contract term.
Even amid market price increases, the structured negotiation strategy helped stabilize costs and deliver a market‑competitive agreement.
Wella’s revamped licensing structure matched true usage and supported smoother annual true‑up processes—reducing risk of over‑licensing or audit penalties.
The optimized BOM positioned Wella to support future growth plans and digital transformation initiatives within a defensible licensing framework.
In large global enterprises, optimizing Microsoft EAs requires precise alignment between usage, licensing entitlements, and future roadmap. Wella’s case illustrates how expert license consulting and negotiation leverage can yield substantial savings—even under pressure from cost inflation and complex licensing stacks.
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