Microsoft: Improving renewal performance & subscription adoption.
The brief.
Microsoft wanted to increase the number of B2B customers moving from ad-hoc, one-year licence purchases into a recurring subscription model. While a significant volume of customers continued to renew licences annually, few were committing to ongoing subscriptions, limiting revenue predictability and long-term value.
The objective was to improve conversion from annual licences into recurring subscriptions across Microsoft’s B2B renewal base, protecting existing revenue while accelerating the shift to a subscription-led model.
The approach.
Renewals were largely treated as an administrative process rather than a commercial opportunity to shift customers onto subscription products.
We designed the renewal strategy, messaging, and cadence frameworks that supported this transition. This included defining long-horizon B2B renewal cadences (90+ days), creating assets to support subscription-led conversations, and structuring touch patterns that could be applied consistently across the renewal base.
Performance data was analysed throughout to refine cadence timing, messaging, and escalation logic, ensuring the approach improved conversion from annual licences into recurring subscriptions over time.
The results.
1.7× increase in licence-to-subscription conversion rate.
Improved conversion from ad-hoc annual licences to recurring subscriptions from 15% to 25%.
85% subscription renewal rate.
Achieved across a base of 10,000+ B2B accounts already on the subscription model.
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