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Adding to the Evolution: Driving Office 365.

Microsoft recently announced some changes to the Microsoft Partner Network (MPN) Program that will allow better alignment with Partners who have or are moving to a Cloud practice.

With this focus on the cloud, I thought it would be appropriate to highlight some of Microsoft’s key Cloud Competencies and how you can join the successful Cloud partners drive higher margins, greater recurring revenue streams and attract more new customers with your focus on the Cloud.

If you already selling Microsoft Office, have an existing cloud practice or want one, and are interested in driving more customers to the Cloud with Office 365, then this is for you. Did you know that 80% of Fortune 500 companies are using Office 365?  (Microsoft Internal Research)  I’ve outlined below what competencies of the MPN Program are most suited to you, what kind of benefits you can earn, and how to get started.

There are 2 key Microsoft Competencies that are focused on Office 365 Online:

  1. Small & Midmarket Cloud Solutions
  2. Cloud Productivity

The one best suited to you depends on the Office 365 volumes you are driving and the number of customers you have.

Benefits of becoming a MPN Cloud Competency partner:

Ever wondered if you can get Office 365 for free? The answer is yes! When you sign up for a Cloud Competency, you will earn incremental Office 365 licenses in addition to those you get with the Core benefits. These Internal Use Rights (IURs) can be used internally or for demo purposes, but not for resale.

There are many types of Support you will be eligible for once you become an MPN Partner includingPartner Advisory Hours, Product Support, Technical Pre-Sales Assistance and Cloud Signature Support, which is an exclusive technical benefit for qualified Cloud Competency partners and allows you to work directly with support engineers.

Other great benefits to having a Cloud Competency are monthly Azure credits, Pinpoint prioritization, access to offers, competency logo & a partner account manager.

How to earn a Competency:

Once you start selling Office 365, it’s only natural that you’ll want to earn benefits from Microsoft and grow your business even more with all the tools, resources, support and other benefits that are art of the Microsoft Partner Network.

What do you need to do to earn a Competency & start earning benefits?

1. Start selling Office 365

The Office 365 performance requirements start as little as 40 seats with 4 new customers in the prior 12 months, for the Silver tier of Small & Midmarket Cloud Solution competency. Already selling more than that. Consider a Gold tier or consider the Cloud Productivity competency and earn even more benefits.

In order for Microsoft to track your performance, you will need to ensure that you are listed as the Digital Partner of Record(DPOR) with your customers.

2. Pass Technical exams

There is no exam for the Silver tier of Small & Midmarket Cloud Solution competency, but others do require you to write 1 or more exams. Each exam typically costs approximately USD $150.00 and they are good for 12 months. All details on exam options and requirements are listed by competency on the MPN portal.

3. Get Customer references

Your organization must submit 3-5 Microsoft Office 365 customer references from within the previous 12 months, depending if you are applying for Silver or Gold Competency tier. After a reference has been approved, it can be used toward earning or renewing a competency for up to two years.

4. Pay the fee

There are annual fees to get a Cloud Competency, but these are far outweighed by the benefits will you earn in return. Costs vary between Silver and Gold Competency. Until June 30, 2016 Microsoft is waiving the fee for Silver Small & Midmarket Cloud Solutions and Cloud Productivity Competencies. If you are already a Silver partner, you can earn your way to Gold without paying the Gold fee until your anniversary date.

Interested in moving your customers over to Office 365 but don’t know how to quickly ramp your business?

Microsoft has partnered with Skykick to provide free use of their backup and migration tools. If you haven’t used Skykick Cloud Backup before, Microsoft Action Pack and Competency Partners who have activated their Azure internal use rights can use Skykick Cloud Backup for free as a benefit of MPN Membership through June 30, 2016. Visit www.skykick.com/AzureIUR  for more info.