What is the Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider programme ?
The Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider programme enables partners to directly manage their entire Microsoft cloud customer lifecycle . Partners in this program utilize dedicated in-product tools to directly provision , manage , and support their customer subscriptions . Partners can easily package their own tools , products and services , and combine them into one monthly or annual customer bill .
How do I participate in the Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider Programme ?
CSP is an invitation-only program . Work with your local Microsoft contact to understand the CSP business and technical capability requirements and submit a nomination . Upon invitation , you will be asked to sign a contract and complete the CSP onboarding process .
What are the benefits of CSP ?
By participating in the CSP programme , you can benefit from the following :
- You are the first point of contact for your customers ’ needs - You own and control the billing cycle - You sell integrated offers and services – one sales motion to drive services , attach , and upsell - You receive in-product tools to directly provision , manage , and support your customers
Are there partner investments required ?
New investments will vary based on your current practice . Areas to consider : - Ability to transact billing on a monthly and / or annual basis - 24 / 7 end customer billing and technical support in local language - Local tax implications of selling a subscription product versus a service - Adjustments to your sales incentive programs to reflect monthly revenue recognition - Management of credit risk and collections - Risk of transaction fraud
How does this benefit customers ?
Customers can more easily purchase partner tools , products , and / or services with their subscription in one predictable monthly bill . Beyond the inherent benefits of the cloud , customers will have more frequent partner interactions which can serve to deepen the relationship .
Studies show that 67 % of customers expect to purchase a wide variety of cloud services from a single vendor and 84 % of customers want an established relationship with a vendor to trust them as their Cloud Service Provider *.
* IDC Successful Cloud Partners 2013 , IDC Buying Into the Cloud 2014 , 2014 Forrester TRUE Brand compass
How does this impact the way I sell today ?
The cloud and product value of Microsoft Office 365 , Microsoft Intune , Enterprise Mobility Suite , Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online , and Microsoft Azure are exactly the same . This is simply one of the business models partners can consider when selling Microsoft cloud subscriptions .
If you have the resources to provide complete customer lifecycle management and want to own the customer billing and support relationship , this model may be a great fit for your business .
product and billing support .
Is this a new channel model ?
The Cloud Solution Provider programme has two models of enrollment available for partners . Partners should evaluate and choose a program that best meets their business requirements .
- The 1-Tier model is a high capability model where partners work directly with Microsoft and they sell to their customers . If you select this model , you will take the responsibility of providing your end customers ’
- If you don ’ t have support and billing capabilities today , and you currently work with distribution partners , the 2-Tier model is the right choice for you . In this model , you will own the customer relationship and the CSP distribution partner will provide the end customer billing and product support .
Which customer segments can I sell ?
You can sell to any commercial customer . Enterprise Agreements may offer additional discounts , but this will vary based on your value added services offering . Although pricing pressure may be felt at deals with larger seats ( e . g . 1000 ), there is no seat cap .
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