M365 License Optimization: Cut Microsoft 365 Costs Without Losing Anything in 2025

Be honest, when that email coming in the inbox says something as obvious as, Can we go over the Microsoft  bill? and then your brain kicks in: 

Why are we still paying to Use Visio? 

So who will own these idle licenses? 

When this sounds familiar take a deep breath. You are not the only one. 

The majority of the SMBs are over-billing on Microsoft 365 unwittingly not because they were not interested, but because the policies of the licensing are out of hand and created to befuddle. And that is where AIVIGIL helps. 

We assist you in tuning your Microsoft 365 installation to actual use, the job role requirements and business risk, without bankrupting you. No slashing tools. No general ratings. The right licenses, the right jobs! 

The Reason Why SMBs Sometimes Pay Too Much

Microsoft 365 is mighty yet costly. Here is where money goes out: 

• Fancy license-emails-only employees 

• Add-ons that are not used such as Project, Visio or Defender 

• Already issued licenses to workers who are no longer in their employments. 

In an effort to cut off costs insensitively, there are teams that end up cutting licenses arbitrarily, to the detriment of productivity and compliance. However, real optimization is right-sizing rather than blind trimming. 

A Path Towards Smart Optimization

When properly done, license optimization: 

• Assigns roles to fix license levels 

• Closes idle or inactive accounts 

• De-provisions funds toward a headlining service such as backups 

• Restores clarity and security in your Microsoft set up 

This is our action plan:

1. Look at What’s Unusual

Ask before he or she can log in to Outlook, teams or SharePoint, who is it? 

What are the accounts that have not been active? 

Which tools are not used to the full extent? 

Begin with Microsoft 365 Usage Analytics. We create more detailed dashboards to show unoccupied seats, cobweb-thick add-ons and quiet mailboxes in one single glance. In the words of UDT, optimization can literally bring about the numerous ways to dash IT expenses, waste carrier, and bring in efficiency as per LinkedIn+

2. Cull the Unused Add-Ons

It’s common to find licenses like: 

Defender had never been arranged 

Licenses are just lying dormant in Visio 

Teams Room subscriptions to make use of empty rooms 

One of my healthcare clients used to have 18 paid but not used Visio seats – no one ever used them. This described an annual loss of more than 2,000 pounds.

3. Assigning of Licenses to Job Roles

Your security personnel is not required to have similar license like a warehouse person. Thousand dollars can be saved using mere role mapping. 

Typical breakdown: 

Business Premium: safety, regulation, teleworking 

Business Standard: business office apps + desktop Office 

Business Basic: teams, email and OneDrive 

We saved one of our retail chains more than 4000 based on their right sizing of their user accounts.  

4. On & Offboarding should be automated to prevent Sprawl

The so-called “license leaks” frequently occur when the staff changes: 

Permanent licenses are given to temps 

Former employees’ accounts linger  

Twin accounts or accounts with changed names cause misunderstanding 

5. Money to be Saved Smartly Not at the Cost of Security

It is not all about downgrading each plan to Basic 

We make sure that the Microsoft tools are complemented by: 

Datto SaaS protection for real backup 

Appropriately set Microsoft Defender 

Light-weight anti-phishing filters 

That will allow you to keep the money as well as protect your team. 

Real Savings, Real Outcomes

Here is the evidence in real customer performance: 

• £1,280/year saved by downgrading 10 Premium licenses 

• £4,400/year from removing unused accounts and right-sizing 11 users 

• £2,100/year cut from unused Visio and Teams Room licenses 

Total savings: GBP7,700 and the most attractive point: the team also has all the tools. 

July Offer: License Audit + Discount

For July this year, AIVIGIL is providing: 

Complimentary Microsoft 365 licensing survey 

20 percent off 3 months 

Supply chain establishment and cleaning  

See all Microsoft licensing services: Microsoft Licensing – AI VIGIL 

FAQs

Q1. Do every employee require the same license?

No way. Make license assignments on job requirements-that is how you will save tens. 

Q2. But how do I know we are over spending?

No timing of audit? It is a warning. Check idle accounts, add-ons that are not being used and mismatched tiers. 

Q3. Microsoft does not back everything up, does it?

Not fully. After retention periods, deleted data may end up being wiped away. The backup tools such as Datto act as your insurance. 

Q4. Can it be difficult to repair this?

No with the right system. You audit, you change roles and get rid of assets not in use. We do it and it is painless. 

Q5. Is it possible to save tools and not lose them?

Absolutely. We never deprive you of what your team utilises. Our work is simply to eliminate the clutter. 

Summary 

You would not waste by paying office space that is not used. Do not waste money on your unnecessary Microsoft licenses. 

A 30 mins conversation over the phone with AIVIGIL can save you thousands of dollars, eliminate headaches, you will ask yourself why you did not do it earlier. 

Reach out. Our Microsoft 365 setup is going to be fast, efficient, and affordable, to say good night.