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title: NET(net) IT Supplier News and Optimization Newsletter - August 2025
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Microsoft's jarring contract changes and impact coming Nov 2025, Top 20 Hard Dollar Cost Savings Strategies for 2025, and C-Suite changes.

| View in browser The NET Effect Newsletter August 2025               IT Supplier News, Insight, and Market Intelligence. In this issue: Microsoft's Cynical Pricing Overhaul for Subscription Agreements Hard Dollar IT Cost Reduction: 20 Battle Tested Strategies for 2025 C-Suite on the Move in August including Fedex, Echostar, Best Buy, Southern Company, Target and more.... By: Tjeerd Edelman   Microsoft's upcoming elimination of volume discounts on subscription agreements, effective November 1, 2025, is masquerading as a push for pricing consistency but is fundamentally a cynical ploy to inflate revenues by eroding enterprise bargaining power and locking in higher margins.   Historical precedents, including the 2022 Microsoft 365 hikes of 8.6-25% and 2023's 9-15% cloud surges, demonstrate a consistent pattern where such "updates" drive up customer costs without delivering proportional value, as evidenced by previous subscription model shifts boosting Microsoft's commercial revenue by 31%.   Enterprises face skyrocketing expenses, diminished negotiation leverage, and hidden operational burdens, but by adopting data-driven countermeasures—like usage audits, competitive benchmarking against AWS, and professional negotiation tactics, savvy buyers can reclaim control, minimize risks, and secure 10-30% savings through NET(net)'s proven optimization strategies. Read Article By: Steven Zolman   The technology vendor ecosystem has declared economic warfare on enterprise customers. In 2025 alone, organizations have endured a relentless onslaught of cost escalations that would have been unthinkable just years ago: Oracle's Free Audit Java Trap Broadcom's VMware Betrayal Cloud Cost Explosion Consumption Based Revenue Models AI's Hidden Cost Bomb and more.... Read out Top 20 battle tested ways to combat these aggressive supplier tactics with links to articles and resources for each... Read Article C-Level Executives Moves - August 2025: Fedex appoints Vishal Talwar as CIO and CDO formerly of Accenture. Donny Lau, formerly of Zaxby's Franchising LLC, has been named the CFO of Dollar General. Target COO Michael Fiddelke will replace former CEO Brian Cornell. Hans Brown, formerly of BNY (Bank of New York Mellon), has been named the CITO of Southern Company. Innocent Ike, formerly of Polaris Bank, has been named the CEO of Access Holdings. Matt Keen, formerly of Bremer Bank, has been named the CIO of Old National Bancorp. Neal Sample, formerly of Walgreens Boots Alliance, has been named the CDTO of Best Buy. Steven Dee, formerly of Rodan and Fields, has been named the CTO of Kohl's. Theresa O’Leary, formerly of UPS, has been named the CIO of CHG Healthcare. Jason Estes was named Chief Information and Technology Officer at Lincoln Investment. ADT appoints Kristy Fisher as Chief Digital and Information Officer. EchoStor Technologies appoints Cale Anjoorian as Chief Information Officer. Schedule a meeting See Our Newsletter Archive Did this get forwarded to you? Sign Up To Our Monthly Newsletter Here NET (net), Americas, EMEA, APAC, +1 616-546-3100 Unsubscribe Manage preferences |
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