In a world where every tool promises to “make life easier,” small businesses are waking up to a frustrating truth:
They’re paying for software they don’t use.
Not just a little.
Not just one or two tools.
But thousands of pounds a year across platforms, licenses, and features that sit idle, duplicated, or misunderstood.
This isn’t about wasteful spending – it’s about lack of visibility, time, and expertise.
And it’s costing SMEs more than they realise.
The Real Software licensing problem
The average SME uses 40 to 60 SaaS tools, from email and CRMs to HR systems, productivity apps, analytics, and automation platforms. Most are bought ad hoc. Some are bundled. Others were introduced years ago and quietly renewed.
Here’s what we typically find:
- Unused seats (licenses bought “just in case”)
- Duplicate tools (3 apps doing the same thing)
- Over-scoped bundles (paying enterprise rates for basic use)
- Auto-renewals without review
- Teams not trained to use what they have
This isn’t a tech issue – it’s an operational one.
Licensing touches your finance, IT, procurement, risk, and even customer experience.
The hidden Costs of Licensing bloat
When left unchecked, licensing affects:
| Area | Impact |
|---|---|
| 💰 Cost | Direct spend increases year-on-year (often 20 to 30%) |
| 🧠 Complexity | Teams overwhelmed by too many tools |
| 🧱 Friction | Disconnected systems and workflows |
| 🔐 Security | Shadow IT and risk exposure |
| 📉 ROI | Investments made without usage or impact tracking |
Where OWL Helps
At Outcome Works, we don’t just look at tools. We look at value, usage, and outcomes – and we help SMEs realign software spend with what they truly need.
Here’s how we help:
1. License Audit & Rationalisation
We perform a rapid assessment of your current stack:
- What’s used vs unused
- Who’s using what
- Where duplication exists
- Which renewals are upcoming
Output:
Clear view of your current licensing landscape, mapped against real business needs.
Most SMEs don’t have time to negotiate terms or even review them properly. We help you:
2. Supplier negotiation support
- Benchmark your pricing
- Push for fairer terms and right-sizing
- Explore bundling, scaling or switching
Output:
Reduced annual spend, improved flexibility, and better contractual control.
3. Value-based Stack design
We don’t just strip out tools – we design for outcomes.
- Can two tools be consolidated?
- Can automation remove the need for another license?
- Can your team get more from what you already have?
Output:
A streamlined, integrated, and cost-effective software environment…without disruption.
4. Governance & Training Support
Even the best tools are wasted if nobody uses them properly. We build light-touch governance and support enablement:
- Usage tracking
- Internal champions
- Role-based training
- Procurement triggers before auto-renewal
Output:
A culture of intentional tech use, not accidental overconsumption.
Real Client example
A 50-person business we worked with was spending over £85,000/year on software…and thought they needed more.
After our assessment:
- We reduced their licensing cost by 35%
- Removed 12 tools with overlapping functionality
- Built automated usage reports to avoid future bloat
- Helped them renegotiate a Microsoft agreement saving £12,000/year alone
All without disrupting a single core process.
What SMEs can do Now
If you’re not actively managing your software stack, you’re almost certainly overspending.
Start by asking:
- Do we know what we’re paying for?
- Are we using everything we’ve licensed?
- Could we achieve the same outcomes with fewer tools?
If the answer is “I’m not sure” – OWL can help.
License Less. Use More. Spend Smarter.
At OWL, we help SMEs cut waste, stay lean, and build smarter software strategies, without compromising capability.