We launched the Microsoft Cloud Associate Program final October to fulfill the altering wants of shoppers 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 resolution areas throughout Azure, Trendy Work, Safety and Enterprise Functions, we created a spot the place companions can proceed to thrive.
At this time, I wish to element a number of the new investments we’re making to proceed to help 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 clients navigate new methods of working but in addition 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 most recent instruments and assets — all guided by our AI ideas, Accountable AI Customary and a long time of analysis — to our companions in order that they’ll proceed to ship modern options for his or her purchasers.
Latest AI integrations throughout Microsoft’s suite of instruments current an actual alternative for companions to supply distinctive innovation, differentiated worth and AI experience to clients.
- 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 supplies interactive, AI-powered help throughout enterprise capabilities, relieving the burden of mundane duties.
- Microsoft 365 Copilot combines the ability of enormous language fashions (LLMs) together with your information within the Microsoft Graph and the Microsoft 365 apps to show your phrases into essentially the most highly effective productiveness instrument on the planet.
- At this time, ChatGPT in Azure Open AI Service permits companions to construct predictive fashions, automate processes and enhance decision-making for themselves and their clients. 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 basically change each software program class, unlocking a brand new wave of productiveness development. We’re dedicated to empowering companions to harness the ability of this innovation on behalf of shoppers world wide, whereas serving to them navigate this new period of know-how.
Introducing designations for ISV options
To assist clients determine which associate organizations are greatest suited to their wants, Microsoft created Options Associate designations inside the Microsoft Cloud Associate Program. The primary out there Options Associate designations are anchored on the Microsoft Cloud in six resolution areas aligned to how Microsoft goes to market. By attaining designations, companions show their group’s capabilities in delivering buyer success within the resolution areas.
At this time, we’re increasing Options Associate designations to incorporate choices that differentiate our companions that develop software program: our impartial software program vendor (ISV) companions.
Designations for ISV options are aligned to how Microsoft goes to market and the way clients are shopping for: by business (e.g., finance, retail); by use instances 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 software’s particular capabilities and assist clients determine confirmed options for his or her enterprise wants.
To study extra, please go to the Microsoft Cloud Associate Program FAQ and the ISV development web page on our associate web site.
Asserting 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 situations aligned to the answer areas for project-based companies.
Final week, we launched 4 Enterprise Software specializations. These new choices are aligned to the Enterprise Functions resolution space for Microsoft Dynamics 365 and make it simpler for purchasers to seek 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: Out there to companions with confirmed abilities in buyer expertise (CX) transformation and supporting clients’ development.
- Service: Developed for companions with expertise delivering personalised 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. Be taught extra about these specializations on the Dynamics 365 for Companions weblog.
Introducing multiparty personal gives
The Microsoft business market is essentially the most partner-focused enterprise platform within the business and is devoted to serving to companions attain extra clients, simplify gross sales and unlock development.
To assist companions unlock the ability of the business market, we are going to quickly offer multiparty personal gives. Multiparty personal gives empower companions to come back collectively, create personalised gives with customized payouts and promote on to Microsoft clients with simplified promoting by {the marketplace}. And for purchasers with a cloud consumption dedication, each greenback of the sale will depend towards their dedication after they buy options which can be Azure IP co-sell eligible. Multiparty personal gives will enter personal preview this spring and be made publicly out there within the close to future. As well as, we’re persevering with to develop the ways in which companions can package deal and promote their options.  Within the coming months, we are going to give companions the flexibility to transact containers and VM software program reservations by our business market.
Coming quickly: Designations for coaching and help companies
Set to launch later this 12 months, Options Associate designations for coaching companies and help companies will allow clients to rapidly determine companions which have met the necessities, together with demonstrating their buyer success.
The Options Associate designation for coaching companies will acknowledge a associate’s capabilities aligned to efficiency, high quality of coaching and a minimal of 1 resolution space. The Options Associate designation for help companies will construct on the answer space designations and spotlight a associate’s breadth of and excellence in help capabilities.
Badging for each designations will assist companions differentiate their organizations with clients and within the Microsoft business market.
Highlighting diverse-led and social good companies within the market
Inclusion fosters innovation, and many shoppers need to discover companions that align to their enterprise values. This is the reason we’re enabling companions to submit related variety and social good enterprise classifications in Associate Middle, which can seem of their enterprise profile within the market. By constructing this info into our system, it’s straightforward for purchasers to find diverse-led companies and their resolution choices within the business market and thru our co-sell channels.
On April 19, Microsoft may also maintain a digital Business Market Influence Occasion for various and minority-owned companions, in addition to companions with social affect options (e.g., sustainability, accessibility, nonprofit) targeted on educating these companions on alternatives to speed up their development by 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 the business market, and place themselves to fulfill an increasing vary of buyer and business 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 development and profitability.
As we glance forward, we’re targeted on making certain companions have the talents, instruments, and assets they should compete — and win — in delivering modern options that drive buyer success.
