Microsoft Communication services is designed to make it easier for hosting providers and their resellers to sell hosted unified communications (UC) solutions to SMEs.
Microsoft made the announcement yesterday at the Worldwide Partner Conference 2009, Microsoft’s annual gathering that provides its partner community with a forum to learn about the latest Microsoft programs, strategies and cutting-edge technologies. The conference is taking place all this week in New Orleans.
As a result of being selected, Outsourcery will be the first UK provider offering full UC to have access to the new initiative, which will help its resellers market Microsoft’s hosted UC packages to SMEs.
The collateral provided as part of Microsoft Communication Services will include Microsoft branded demo videos, marketing guidance and telesales scripts, making it easier for resellers to market a solution of collaborative hosted services, including hosted Microsoft Exchange Server and Microsoft Office Communications Server, to their SME customers. This level of branded collateral for hosted product packages has not previously been available. Microsoft partners that have achieved the Hosting Solutions Competency and their resellers will have access to the initiative.
Mark Seemann, product strategy & development director, Outsourcery, commented: “The market for hosted UC in the SME community is a significant growth area at the moment, but one of the biggest hurdles that resellers have to overcome is a lack of understanding in their customer base of the benefits these products can provide.
“The marketing tools included in Microsoft Communication Services are designed to help resellers educate the SME market about the advantages of the entire services, rather than just talk about the individual products. We’ve found that the Microsoft brand name resonates very well with our SME customers. It’s a strong proposition.
“Microsoft Communication Services was designed to enable hosting providers to add higher margin services, create customer loyalty, and become a trusted advisor to their customers,” said Martin Walker, Software Services – UK lead, Microsoft UK. “With its dedication to providing Microsoft-hosted solutions to customers and resellers, Outsourcery was an ideal choice as a launch partner in the UK for the global availability of Microsoft Communication Services.”
Seemann continued, “Outsourcery is delighted to be involved in the launch of Microsoft Communication Services to UK SMEs at WPC09. We’re dedicated to making hosted UC accessible for all UK SMEs and helping our reseller partners to capitalise on this. As a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, we’re committed to becoming Europe’s Number 1 outsourced IT and unified communications provider for Microsoft hosted solutions and this is definitely another step in that direction.”