We launched the Microsoft Cloud Associate Program final October to satisfy the altering wants of consumers and assist our companions succeed. With its sturdy set of devoted associate choices, together with new Options Associate designations that align to our six business answer areas throughout Azure, Trendy Work, Safety and Enterprise Functions, we created a spot the place companions can proceed to thrive.
Immediately, I need to element among the new investments we’re making to proceed to assist extra of our companions as they make investments with Microsoft, develop their companies and ship buyer success. These investments, just like the Cloud Associate Program itself, are designed to not solely assist prospects navigate new methods of working but additionally allow companions to distinguish themselves and ship distinctive worth to the market.
Empowering companions with AI
Companions have lengthy tapped into the ability of machine studying and AI utilizing Microsoft’s developer instruments and cloud applied sciences. Because the AI panorama continues to evolve, we’re dedicated to bringing the newest instruments and sources — all guided by our AI rules, Accountable AI Commonplace and a long time of analysis — to our companions in order that they will proceed to ship progressive options for his or her purchasers.
Current AI integrations throughout Microsoft’s suite of instruments current an actual alternative for companions to supply distinctive innovation, differentiated worth and AI experience to prospects.
- With Bing, higher search, extra full solutions, and the flexibility to generate content material imply that customers can higher harness the world’s information.
- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Copilot gives interactive, AI-powered help throughout enterprise features, relieving the burden of mundane duties.
- Microsoft 365 Copilot combines the ability of huge language fashions (LLMs) along with your knowledge within the Microsoft Graph and the Microsoft 365 apps to show your phrases into essentially the most highly effective productiveness software on the planet.
- Immediately, ChatGPT in Azure Open AI Service permits companions to construct predictive fashions, automate processes and enhance decision-making for themselves and their prospects. By making use of for preview entry to GPT-4 in Azure OpenAI Service, companions can begin constructing with OpenAI’s most superior mannequin but.
- The AI and Machine Studying in Microsoft Azure Specialization empowers companions to showcase their experience on this rapidly evolving space of the Microsoft enterprise.
We consider AI will essentially change each software program class, unlocking a brand new wave of productiveness progress. We’re dedicated to empowering companions to harness the ability of this innovation on behalf of consumers around the globe, whereas serving to them navigate this new period of expertise.
Introducing designations for ISV options
To assist prospects determine which associate organizations are finest suited to their wants, Microsoft created Options Associate designations inside the Microsoft Cloud Associate Program. The primary obtainable Options Associate designations are anchored on the Microsoft Cloud in six answer areas aligned to how Microsoft goes to market. By attaining designations, companions show their group’s capabilities in delivering buyer success within the answer areas.
Immediately, we’re increasing Options Associate designations to incorporate choices that differentiate our companions that develop software program: our unbiased software program vendor (ISV) companions.
Designations for ISV options are aligned to how Microsoft goes to market and the way prospects are shopping for: by trade (e.g., finance, retail); by use circumstances throughout industries (e.g., safety); and by particular imperatives of line-of-business leaders (e.g., advertising and marketing and gross sales). These designations distinguish an utility’s particular capabilities and assist prospects determine confirmed options for his or her enterprise wants.
To be taught extra, please go to the Microsoft Cloud Associate Program FAQ and the ISV progress web page on our associate web site.
Saying new Enterprise Functions specializations
Specializations proceed to offer companions with methods to additional differentiate their group and show their experience and expertise in particular technical eventualities aligned to the answer areas for project-based providers.
Final week, we launched 4 Enterprise Software specializations. These new choices are aligned to the Enterprise Functions answer space for Microsoft Dynamics 365 and make it simpler for patrons to search out companions that possess the experience they want. The brand new specializations embrace:
- Finance: Designed for companions with demonstrated information, substantive expertise and documented success in Dynamics 365 Finance, and that innovate options throughout the monetary spectrum.
- Gross sales: Obtainable to companions with confirmed expertise in buyer expertise (CX) transformation and supporting prospects’ progress.
- Service: Developed for companions with expertise delivering customized service, high-quality interactions and seamless, related experiences at scale.
- Provide Chain: Open to companions with demonstrated information, substantive expertise and documented success in Dynamics 365 Provide Chain Administration, and that innovate options throughout the provision chain spectrum.
With these additions, we now provide a complete of 28 specializations, offering companions with flexibility and alignment on the place they select to take a position for his or her enterprise and serve their buyer wants. Study extra about these specializations on the Dynamics 365 for Companions weblog.
Introducing multiparty non-public presents
The Microsoft business market is essentially the most partner-focused enterprise platform within the trade and is devoted to serving to companions attain extra prospects, simplify gross sales and unlock progress.
To assist companions unlock the ability of the business market, we’ll quickly offer multiparty non-public presents. Multiparty non-public presents empower companions to return collectively, create customized presents with customized payouts and promote on to Microsoft prospects with simplified promoting by means of {the marketplace}. And for patrons with a cloud consumption dedication, each greenback of the sale will depend towards their dedication after they buy options which are Azure IP co-sell eligible. Multiparty non-public presents will enter non-public preview this spring and be made publicly obtainable within the close to future. As well as, we’re persevering with to increase the ways in which companions can bundle and promote their options. Within the coming months, we’ll give companions the flexibility to transact containers and VM software program reservations by means of our business market.
Coming quickly: Designations for coaching and assist providers
Set to launch later this yr, Options Associate designations for coaching providers and assist providers will allow prospects to rapidly determine companions which have met the necessities, together with demonstrating their buyer success.
The Options Associate designation for coaching providers will acknowledge a associate’s capabilities aligned to efficiency, high quality of coaching and a minimal of 1 answer space. The Options Associate designation for assist providers will construct on the answer space designations and spotlight a associate’s breadth of and excellence in assist capabilities.
Badging for each designations will assist companions differentiate their organizations with prospects and within the Microsoft business market.
Highlighting diverse-led and social affect companies within the market
Inclusion fosters innovation, and many shoppers wish to discover companions that align to their enterprise values. This is the reason we’re enabling companions to submit related variety and social affect enterprise classifications in Associate Middle, which can seem of their enterprise profile within the market. By constructing this info into our system, it’s simple for patrons to find diverse-led companies and their answer choices within the business market and thru our co-sell channels.
On April 19, Microsoft may also maintain a digital Industrial Market Impression Occasion for numerous and minority-owned associate companies, in addition to companions with social affect options (e.g., sustainability, accessibility, nonprofit) centered on educating these companions on alternatives to speed up their progress by means of the Microsoft business market.
Extra on the horizon
Microsoft, companions are elementary to our success. We’re dedicated to investing in our ecosystem to allow companions to additional differentiate their experience, collaborate on offers by means of the business market, and place themselves to satisfy an increasing vary of buyer and trade wants.
This dedication to our companions’ success is unwavering. With our wealthy product and platform highway map, Microsoft will proceed to assist our companions do much more to allow digital transformation and drive enterprise progress and profitability.
As we glance forward, we’re centered on guaranteeing companions have the abilities, instruments, and sources they should compete — and win — in delivering progressive options that drive buyer success.
