The Microsoft CSP program is a program that enables Microsoft partners to simplify the procurement of licenses for Microsoft cloud services for customers. Clients can purchase Microsoft services such as Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365 and Power Platform via a CSP. 

There are two versions of CSP, the Direct (Tier 1) model and the Indirect (Tier 2) model. To become a Tier 1 CSP reseller, a partner must meet a number of stringent requirements. 848 is a Direct (Tier 1) CSP, meaning we can provide our customers with licenses direct from Microsoft. This gives you better pricing than if you were to purchase via an Indirect (Tier 2), whilst also giving you more control, scalability, and greater support from a trusted provider. 

There are tonnes of benefits for customers purchasing via a Microsoft CSP like 848. You get local, trusted support and access to a knowledgeable team of Microsoft experts. The enhanced licensing support enables you to get the best value on your licenses and also ensures you stay compliant. Your CSP partner can also help you make sure your budget isn’t being wasted on licenses or subscriptions that aren’t being utilised. The CSP program also provides greater flexibility, no upfront billing and access to excellent discounts.

New Commerce Experience is the latest evolution of the CSP program. The changes have been being rolled out to make licensing simpler and provide cost-protection for long term commitments. 

The CSP New Commerce Experience has a range of new benefits and elements to simplify decision making and licensing for clients who purchase services via the CSP programme. This includes:

• Monthly, annual, and three-year license commitments.  
• Price protection for longer term commitments (yearly and three-year subscriptions).  
• Exclusive promotions and offers for services including Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365 and Power Platform.  
• New monthly term offers for customers who need term and seat-count flexibility – monthly subscriptions and offers are at a 20% price premium compared to longer term commitments.  
• Annual offers with competitive pricing for longer commitments.  
• Mix-and-match monthly and longer term offers to benefit from both price protection and flexibility for seasonal or business-volume fluctuations. 

Yes, the New Commerce Experience will allow organisations to purchase and consume online services on a flexible monthly basis with no need to commit to a long-term agreement. This option provides you with the flexibility to scale up or down your subscription month-by-month, and make frequent changes to plans, the number of licenses and more. This option comes at a premium. Licenses purchased on a monthly subscription basis via New Commerce Experience will cost 20% more than longer term contracts.  

You can however reduce or cancel licenses within the 72 hours of being purchased. After this point, changes to plans and licenses will have to be done at the end of the monthly term. The monthly option can be summed up below:
 

• Greater flexibility   
• Increase licenses whenever and reduce seats at the end of each monthly term  
• Premium pricing compared to longer term commitments  
• Not protected against price increases

The 12-month subscription via the New Commerce Experience gives you the chance to purchase licenses for online services on a yearly basis. Unlike the previous CSP model, you can choose to pay for your annual subscription upfront, or be billed on a monthly basis.   

You can add additional seats during your 12-month subscription, however you won’t be able to reduce your seat count, except within the first 72 hours. The cost of your licenses will be protected against any price rises throughout the duration of your subscriptions, meaning no sudden price hikes mid-contract.

• Year-long price protection against price increases  
• Standard pricing  
• You can increase number of licenses   
• You can reduce seat count at the end of contract or within the 72 hour adjustment period

The 36-month subscription route via the New Commerce Experience is largely the same as the 12-month subscription in the fact that you will be able to guarantee price locking for a 3-year period. You can add licenses but not reduce them, apart from within the 72 hours adjustment window. You can choose from monthly or annual billing, or pay for the full 3 years upfront.   

The core benefit of both the 12-month and 36-month subscriptions is the price protection. You will be immune to price rises for the length of your contract.  

• Most cost-effective due to longer term price protection  
• Standard pricing model  
• You can increase number of licenses 
• You can only decrease seat count at the end of contract or within the 72 hour adjustment period

Yes. You don’t have to choose just one subscription option within the Microsoft CSP New Commerce Experience. If you want to benefit from the flexibility of the monthly subscription, but also want to protect part of your licenses from price increases, you can purchase licenses via different routes.   

For example, if you know you will always need at least 100 licenses, you can commit to this minimum number on a 12-month or 36-month basis to benefit from price locking. However, you may know that seat count above this number is likely to fluctuate. Therefore, you could purchase additional licenses on the monthly model with the mark up to give yourself greater flexibility to scale down numbers on a monthly basis when you don’t need them.   

It’s important to always remember that even with this route, you can never flex below the number on your long-term commitment.