Pipeline day 3: Microsoft’s Brad Clarke lays out Microsoft AI opportunity

The final day of Pipeline 2023 saw a stellar lineup of speakers lay out key considerations for the channel community dealing with AI, automation, offshoring and M&A.

Microsoft lays out AI opportunity for partners 

Microsoft’s ANZ SMB channel lead Brad Clark laid out the offerings available in the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program and the new solutions that will be available soon. 

Clarke said that the market was ready: end-users are hungry to unlock the potential of AI.

“Partners need to prepare for Copilot; you need to prepare to own the AI narrative.”

“The problem we have with Azure is not demand, it’s the reseller capability to service that demand.” 

He said that there have been many partners asking when they will get to deploy Copilot to their customers. 

Clarke noted that building the infrastructure to get Copilot right was no small task; in the last 90 days alone Microsoft spent “$13 billion to prepare for AI.”

He said that trust was also on agenda with Microsoft’s AI solution. “We can't afford to erode your trust in us or your customers in yours.”

TribeTech tackles automation roadblocks

Sydney-headquartered managed service provider TribeTech told the Pipeline audience about its AI-connected business automation solution World of Workflows. 

TribeTech’s chief software architect Nick Beaugeard told partners to “embrace AI as an inevitable transformative force.”

Beaugeard broke down why World of Workflows is attracting the interest of government agencies, broadcasters, schools and manufacturers looking to fix “annoying little automation roadblocks.”

Dominic O'Hanlon talks offshoring pitfalls 

Former CEO of rhipe (acquired by Crayon) and company advisor Dominic O'Hanlon told the audience what can go wrong when MSPs outsource their workforce.  

While offshoring can be an effective solution to rising costs and a tough talent market, O’Hanlon noted the need to be mindful of what can go wrong. 

He outlined the challenges of maintaining an accountable workforce, tracking productivity, unpredictable compliance regimes and other trials and tribulations. 

Trust is not a valid management strategy when you’re offshoring, he emphasised.

O'Hanlon said that he had seen several cases of outsourcing leading to a complete abdication of responsibility. He advised that if an MSP is going to offshore some of its team, it can’t also offshore the management of that team. 

He has been working with Adaca, which is bringing its offshoring services and platform to the Australian channel to address these issues.

Virtual IT Group’s Christian Pacheco shares M&A lessons

Managing director of CRN Fast50 company Virtual IT Group and CEO of Pia, Christopher Pacheco, shared a wealth of insights and advice about M&A, gained through 14 acquisitions.

He urged partners to consider the importance of investing in automation. Using automation with business functions, such as those relating to leads, onboarding customers and analysing data, companies can mitigate risks of a central staff member leaving or making a mistake and a key function collapsing. 

Pacheco also broke down the due diligence that goes into evaluating whether or not to acquire a company and how VITG evaluates everything from the organisation’s people and culture, to its services and processes, customer relationships and public perception.  

Foundational marketing to shape M&A outcomes 

After telling customers how to grow their customers with marketing earlier this week, Mogrify’s Melanie Unwin spoke about the importance of brand building as part of the journey to M&A.

Using several case studies, Unwin broke down the marketing do’s and don’t’s for companies looking to be acquired and looking to acquire. 

More M&A experiences and lessons

Pipeline attendees also heard more insights, advice and anecdotes from Macquarie Group infrastructure, technology and banking Associate Director Leane Mason, iasset.com CEO and founder Scott Frew, Lynkz founder and CEO Braden Voigt and Crayon-owned rhipe’s former CEO Dominic O'Hanlon.

The audience heard from Macquarie Group infrastructure, technology and banking associate director Leane Mason, iasset.com CEO and founder Scott Frew, DevBricks founder Braden Voigt and company advisor Dominic O'Hanlon.