Get More from Microsoft 365

You don't just need licences - you need the right licences, configured correctly, and used effectively. We help you choose, deploy, and optimise Microsoft 365 for your business.

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Which Microsoft 365 licence Do You Actually Need?

Most businesses overpay because they buy the wrong licences. We recommend what you actually need, even if it means lower revenue for us.

Business Basic

Best for: Small teams, basic needs

From $6/user/month

  • Web & Mobile Office Apps✅
  • Desktop Office Apps❌
  • Business Email (50GB)✅
  • Microsoft Teams✅ Basic
  • Advanced Threat Protection❌

Business Standard

Best for: Most businesses

From $12.50/user/month

  • Web & Mobile Office Apps✅
  • Desktop Office Apps✅ Full versions
  • Microsoft Bookings✅
  • Webinar Tools✅ Up to 1,000
  • Advanced Threat Protection❌

Business Premium

Best for: Security-conscious businesses

From $22/user/month

  • Desktop Office Apps✅ Full versions
  • Advanced Threat Protection✅
  • Device Management (Intune)✅
  • Conditional Access✅
  • Azure AD Premium P1✅

Prices shown are approximate Microsoft list pricing in USD. Contact us for exact South African pricing with our margin included.

Not Sure Which Plan? Answer These Questions:

1. Do your employees need full desktop Office apps?

  • Mobile/web only → Basic might work
  • Need desktop apps → Standard or Premium

2. Do you handle sensitive data or work in a regulated industry?

  • No → Standard
  • Yes (financial, healthcare, legal) → Premium

3. Do you need to enforce security policies on devices?

  • No → Standard
  • Yes, control/wipe devices → Premium

4. Team size and budget?

  • Small (<10) → Basic or Standard
  • Growing (10-50) → Standard
  • Larger (50+) / high security → Premium

Real-World Examples

Small Professional Services Firm (15 people)

Recommendation: Business Standard

Monthly cost: ~R3,000-3,500 (R187-233/user)

Desktop apps needed; no advanced security requirements.

Healthcare Practice (30 people)

Recommendation: Business Premium

Monthly cost: ~R12,000-14,000 (R400-467/user)

POPIA compliance and device management required.

Retail Business (25 people)

Recommendation: Mix of Basic + Standard

Monthly cost: ~R5,000-6,500

Field staff mobile-only; office staff need full apps.

Financial Services (50 people)

Recommendation: Business Premium + compliance

Monthly cost: ~R22,000-25,000 (R440-500/user)

Advanced security and data loss prevention.

What the Big CSPs Won't Tell You

Over-licensing

Hybrid licensing: Premium for sensitive roles, Standard for general staff.

Typical savings: 20-35%

Unused Add-ons

Regular licence audits to identify waste.

Savings: R500-2,000/month

Not Using What You Pay For

Implementation & training to use Intune/Defender/Azure AD.

3-4x more security value

Wrong Licence mix

Tailor to roles; not everyone needs the same plan.

Savings: 15-25%

Do You Actually Need These Add-Ons?

Microsoft 365 Copilot ($30/user/month)

Pilot with 5-10 power users first; ROI 3-6 months if used heavily.

Teams Phone Standard ($10/user/month)

Great when replacing legacy PBX; immediate ROI if contracts are expensive.

Microsoft Defender for Business ($3/user/month)

Essential for Basic/Standard users handling sensitive data (Premium already includes).

Power BI Pro ($10/user/month)

Only for users who actually need dashboards; most can use Excel.

Exchange Online Plan 2 Upgrade ($4-8/user)

Upgrade only heavy mailbox users (100GB).

The Big CSP Approach vs The Ovation Approach

Big CSPs Say:

  • “Just buy Business Premium for everyone - it's simpler.”
  • “Add Copilot for everyone - it's the future!”
  • “Take it or leave it pricing.”

We Say:

  • Analyse real needs; tailor licence mix to avoid waste.
  • Pilot Copilot with 5 power users; expand if it proves value.
  • Plan for now and for 6 months; start lean and scale intelligently.

We make more money when you stay with us for years, not when you overspend once and leave frustrated.

Free Licence assessment

  1. Review your current setup (if you have one)
  2. Discuss workflows, security needs, compliance
  3. Analyse which roles need which features
  4. Recommend optimal licence mix
  5. Show projected costs with our pricing
  6. Identify quick wins (what you can cut or optimise)

Cost: Free, no obligation

Outcome: 20-40% cost reduction or same cost with better security

Time: 30-minute call + 2-3 days for analysis

Get Your Free Licence assessment

Licence planning & Optimisation

Business vs Enterprise - What You Actually Need

We analyse your actual usage patterns and requirements to recommend the right licence tier - no upsell tactics, just honest advice.

Analysing Your Current Licensing for Waste

We identify unused licences, duplicate subscriptions, and opportunities to consolidate or optimise your current setup.

Right-Sizing for Your Actual Usage

Match licence types to user roles and actual feature usage. No paying for features you don't use.

Cost Projections and TCO Analysis

Full transparency on total cost of ownership, including licensing, migration, and ongoing optimisation costs.

Deployment & Migration

Smooth Transitions

  • Transitions from on-premises or other platforms
  • User onboarding and training coordination
  • Minimal disruption to daily operations
  • Data migration with integrity verification

Expert Guidance

  • Best practice configuration
  • Security and compliance setup
  • Teams deployment and adoption
  • Post-migration support and optimisation

Ongoing Optimisation

Regular Reviews

  • Quarterly licence reviews
  • Feature adoption consulting
  • Cost monitoring and recommendations
  • Proactive security configuration

Pricing

  • • Licensing markup: Standard CSP margin
  • • Migration planning: From R5,000
  • • Optimisation reviews: R3,500/quarter

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