Microsoft rolls out further partner incentives and support
Vendor uses inaugural digital event to outline where it’s hoping partners will focus and how it will support those efforts
Microsoft has outlined a number of partner incentives covering areas it’s currently focused on, including artificial intelligence (AI), security and cloud.
The firm has been holding its MCAPS Start for Partners event, and used it as a platform to reveal a number of enhancements.
Nicole Dezen, chief partner officer and corporate vice-president of global partner solutions at Microsoft, penned a blog that outlined more support for skills development and promoted a number of benefit packages the firm has been making available to partners.
She highlighted the areas where the vendor was promoting partner activity, particularly around Copilot and security.
“Partners are essential to the Copilot customer journey,” wrote Dezen. “That is why we’ve developed a comprehensive set of pre- and post-sale engagements to guide partner execution in alignment with our existing go-to-market motions. To support this, we are increasing our Copilot investment by 10x over last year.
“Security is a key priority, and we’re investing $90m in incremental investments in FY25,” she added.
“We will continue the Threat Protection assessment and bring back the Data Security assessment.”
Cloud applications
Elsewhere, the firm is continuing to encourage partners to sell its 365 suite and the ongoing shift towards cloud applications.
“We continue to reward and support our partners for meeting customer needs beyond the sale, throughout the customer journey,” said Dezen. “Aligned with our foundational priority of Microsoft 365 Core Execution in FY25, we are increasing CSP incentives across strategic solutions including Microsoft 365 E3/E5 and Business Premium, and with our incentives, you can earn up to $120,000 for Microsoft 365 E3 workloads per customer.”
Microsoft is also encouraging partners to develop their skills, and is using the event to outline what’s on offer to the channel.
“At Microsoft we are committed to enabling partner skilling,” she wrote. “Through our AI workshops and boot camps, we have trained over 818,000 AI learners on Microsoft Azure, Copilot and Fabric since we launched them last year.
“Project Ready Workshops accelerate deployment and implementation, while our Sales Boot Camps boost mindshare and pipeline. We also introduced the AI Partner Training Roadshow to help our services partners grow their AI expertise.”
Embracing Copilot
Examples of partners that have put their shoulders behind Copilot continue to emerge, with Node4 sharing its experiences earlier this week.
The channel player has embraced the technology, and is using it to enhance productivity, streamline workflows and give its workforce the ability to focus on the higher-hanging fruit.
“By integrating Copilot into our operations, we are improving our internal processes and setting a standard for the solutions we deliver to our clients,” said Hannah Birch, managing director of Node4. “This move reinforces our dedication to providing unparalleled service and support as we continue to evolve in the digital age.”
The firm’s move obviously got the backing of the vendor, which is keen to get more of its partners in a similar position.
“Node4’s investment in Copilot for Microsoft 365 exemplifies the forward-thinking approach needed to drive digital transformation and innovation,” said Richard Ellis from Microsoft UK.
