Microsoft’s global leader of partner programs Toby Richards has revealed significant changes coming soon to the company’s channel program.
In a new blog post Richards said that in the quarter commencing July 2019, the company will add a “New Security competency” that “delivers“ the knowledge and capabilities to deliver security-related services on Azure and Microsoft 365 and help customers protect identities, data, apps, and endpoints from cyber threats.”
Microsoft also has new services for partners on the way, with “access to enablement and go-to-market services” to be added to gold and silver competency benefits, on top of current licensing benefits. Richards also said some partners “may be eligible for the co-sell program.”
Details will emerge during the July quarter.
Existing competencies will also change to make sure they align to customer needs. “As cloud technologies advance, partner capabilities must keep pace,” Richards wrote. “With this in mind, we are updating the requirements for several competencies to better reflect the market and more demanding customer expectations.” Richards didn’t say which competencies will change, but did use the April changes to Business Applications as an example of what’s on the way. Those changes saw the introduction of new CRM, ERP and Cloud Business Applications competencies.
“If you’re in an affected competency, you’ll receive notifications about what is changing, when, so you can prepare,” Richardson wrote.
The company also plans more benefits to support partnering with partners. The post says that as of July “we’re enabling these connections for ISVs through marketplace, connecting them to partners in the Cloud Solution Provider program. More options will surface through referrals and co-sell in the months ahead.”
Richards said more details on these new plans will be revealed at its Inspire conference in mid-July. Media are excluded from that event, but CRN will find a way to get those details!
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