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How working with a Microsoft Partner can help take your business to the next level

Microsoft partners typically offer a range of technical expertise across Microsoft's products and services to help their customers understand, deploy and get the most from the technologies and their digital ecosystems. This blog will explore the top reasons to work with a Microsoft partner, followed by guidance on how to find one that’s right for you.

Microsoft partners typically offer a range of technical expertise across Microsoft’s products and services to help their customers understand, deploy and get the most from the technologies and their digital ecosystems.

There are around 64,000 partners, vendors and service providers that build or sell solutions based on Microsoft products across the globe. This daunting figure may make it seem difficult to find the right partner for your organisation and your needs.

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This blog will explore the top reasons to work with a Microsoft partner, followed by guidance on how to find one that’s right for you.

Why work with a Microsoft Partner?

Forming a close, strategic relationship with a dedicated Microsoft Partner gives your organisation an extended level of expertise around the products and services being used whilst enabling flexibility to obtain as much or as little support as necessary. Your partner can manage the technology aspect, whilst delivering additional consultancy services, helping you reach your objectives and overcome challenges.

Top reasons to work with a Microsoft Partner:

  1. Broader experience and better expertise
    Partners typically employ a whole host of certified experts, so that they can cater to specific client needs and fill knowledge and skill gaps where they exist.
  2. Reduce dependency on internal resource
    By using a Microsoft partner, you can be guided and advised on the best way forward, thus reducing the burden on your employees and the time that they might have to take out of their usual working routine for IT-related projects.
  3. Partners are up to date
    Microsoft’s products are constantly evolving. Therefore, the requirements for Microsoft partner competencies also evolves, as they must do in order to enforce a high level of quality amongst the partner network. As such, partners will know more about the latest and greatest features and techniques that your organisation can benefit from.
  4. Partners are directly connected to Microsoft
    Once a company becomes part of the Microsoft Partner Network (MPN), they instantly get access to exclusive resources and support that enable them to better serve their customers. Established and decorated partners will normally have numerous dedicated contacts at Microsoft, such as partner managers, which they can use to quickly and easily find out answers to your questions. Some partners can even gain access to exclusive funding from Microsoft to deliver specific consultancy services to customers, thus reducing cost and mitigating any potential risk during initial engagements.
  5. Fast demos and proof of concepts
    If you’d like to understand the benefits and use cases of a Microsoft solution for your business, you can ask a partner to provide further insight by requesting a demonstration from one of their experts. Furthermore, a good partner should be able to understand your objectives, and then configure a solution to provide a proof of concept, so that you can envisage its use and value to your organisation.

Tips for choosing the right Partner:

  • Use Microsoft AppSource: Microsoft provide a handy website to search based on your criteria: Find the right app | Microsoft AppSource. Users can filter across key partner aspects including location, size, capabilities, industries, products, focus areas and services. By sorting in this way, the process becomes far easier and more effective to navigate and shortlist.
  • Establish their industry accreditations and Microsoft competencies – Most will have a page on their website that showcases these.
  • Review their capabilities/services – Partners provide a wide range, make sure they can offer you what you need.
  • Understand what Microsoft technologies they specialise in – Are you looking for help with a particular product? Check if they have expertise in this area.
  • Read their testimonials and case studies – They should be varied and demonstrate a wide range of successful projects.
  • Check their reviews – These can come in many different formats and often through impartial third-party providers.
  • Have a conversation – There’s no better way to ask questions and find out answers quickly than contacting partners directly and requesting a discussion.

How can Hitachi Solutions help?

At Hitachi Solutions, we encourage self-sufficiency, through using numerous resources and tools to train customers on how to use their services and technology. Free online, educational sources such as Microsoft Learn are also encouraged.  This means our customers can derive more value from their solutions and also come up with their own innovative new ideas to leverage Microsoft solutions.

We are a Microsoft Inner Circle Partner. This award is given to the top 1% of partners globally and is presented as recognition of sales achievements, as well as a high standard of excellence in the delivery of services.

Our close relationship with Microsoft as a partner, supplier and customer has meant that we’ve been able to thoroughly understand their products beyond the surface and use this deeper knowledge to better deliver solutions to our customers. We’re proud to have even been actively involved in helping Microsoft to develop and improve their products through our inherent expertise and experience of discussing common needs with our customers.

Beyond our close relationship with Microsoft and our badges of excellence, we deliver a high quality of service and care to all our customers. Every proposal, estimate, project plan and piece of advice is carefully considered internally through numerous robust, defined processes that ensure we are as accurate as possible in what we share and do for our customers.

If you’d like to speak to one of our experts, you can get in touch with us.

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Хари Крауч

За автора

Хари Крауч

След като е работил с широк кръг от организации в областта на финансовите услуги, Хари се е фокусирал върху осигуряването на стойност и успех за този сектор. Опитът на Хари, желанието му да помага и щателното планиране дават възможност на финансовите институции да преодоляват предизвикателствата и да постигат ключови цели чрез използване на експертни знания и технологии на Microsoft.