When choosing a Microsoft Partner, there are several criteria you should consider:
Direct or Indirect Partner
A direct Microsoft Partner purchases products directly from Microsoft, which they resell to their clients. They also supply billing, provisioning, and support services. An indirect provider delivers billing and provisioning to the customer and technical support to the reseller. A CSP indirect partner makes it easier for a business to purchase the solutions they need over the long term from a vendor they trust.
A Dedicated Account Manager and Team Providing 24/7 Support
This ensures rapid onboarding, direction determining business goals, advice, guidance, and training on how to earn incentives back from Microsoft.
Automated Billing with Budgeting and Alerting Notifications
Automated billing ensures an error-free process, while budgeting and alerting notifications ensure predictable monthly invoices.
Depth of Experience as a Microsoft Partner
A Microsoft CSP partner should have established experience via a long-term relationship with Microsoft. They have the infrastructure in place to manage your accounts properly.
Value-Added Services in Addition to Licensing
Look for a partner who adds value to the licensing experience, including expertise in managing cloud spend, securing and backing up data to the cloud, and managing your software in the cloud, including consumption, tagging, and analytics.