Customer Expansion Opportunity Blocked by Licensing Transition Policy
Where do we get assistance when Partner Support resources are Policy blocked: a { text-decoration: none; color: #464feb; } tr th, tr td { border: 1px solid #e6e6e6; } tr th { background-color: #f5f5f5; } We have a 26-user Financial Services customer in CA currently annual licensed on Microsoft 365 E3. The customer wishes to modernize and expand its Microsoft investment through: Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption Expanded security capabilities Additional Purview workloads SharePoint storage expansion (5TB) Migration from competitor ShareFile to Microsoft 365 The resulting solution increases Microsoft's footprint, strengthens customer security posture, and displaces a competitive platform. However, the customer's economics require transitioning from Microsoft 365 E3 to Microsoft 365 Business Premium. Current guidance received through Partner Support is that E3 to Business Premium represents a downgrade and therefore is not permitted. Business Impact The current position creates a conflict between policy enforcement and customer growth objectives. Without flexibility: Customer may delay adoption of Copilot. ShareFile displacement opportunity is reduced. Microsoft security expansion is reduced. Customer perception of Microsoft licensing flexibility is negatively impacted. With flexibility: Customer remains on Microsoft platform. Security posture improves. Additional Microsoft workloads are adopted. Competitive platform is displaced. Annual Microsoft revenue increases materially. Customer Profile Industry: Financial Services User Count: 26 Eligible for Business Premium user limits Existing Microsoft customer Strategic security and compliance requirements Requested Guidance We are requesting executive review of a licensing path that enables: Transition from E3 to Business Premium. Expansion into Copilot. Expansion into security and compliance workloads. Migration from ShareFile into SharePoint. Our goal is not cost reduction but overall Microsoft platform expansion and improved customer outcomes.