Investing in our Partners with Office 365

Earlier this week we incorrectly referenced Softbank Corporation in this post.  We have removed that reference to them at the request of the customer and apologize for any confusion this may have caused.

Yesterday we announced that 1 person is signing up to try Office 365 every 25 seconds, and that enterprises like the American Red Cross have already become Office 365 customers.  This comes on the heels of our launch just two weeks ago.

Clearly, Office 365 is a hit with companies of all sizes, and today we are making several announcements that indicate it’s a hit with partners, too. 

Since July 2010, the Office 365 partner ecosystem has more than doubled in size – taking us from 16,000 to more than 41,000 partners worldwide. We now officially have the largest partner community for the cloud in the industry, with approximately 10 times more partners than Google!

Microsoft partners range from systems integrators and service providers, to value-added resellers and integrated solutions vendors. These partners provide great services, training, consulting, support, and applications that help businesses get the most out of Office 365. These partners are jumping on board with Office 365 because they know they can grow their businesses with the latest in cloud productivity from Microsoft.

Slalom Consulting, the 2011 Microsoft Online Services Solution Partner of the Year, expects to double its cloud revenue this year, based on the strong customer interest in Office 365. Dave Cutler, general manager of Slalom Consulting, says Office 365 offers partners a range of service plans for his customers, which creates more opportunities for his company to deliver the right solution at the right price.

Dave notes many mid-sized and enterprise businesses are in the midst of an intense technology ‘refresh’ cycle, eager to explore the newest collaboration and communications technologies that are essential in today’s business environment.  He says Office 365 is to the ideal cloud offering because its flexible subscription model helps companies streamline IT systems, reduce costs, and move away from outdated technology platforms.

Office 365 is also having a financial impact on Slalom Consulting; Dave’s company has seen a sharp rise in the number of customers preparing for their move to the cloud with Office 365. And, in the next two years, he expects all of the work his company undertakes will include a cloud component.

It’s clear that companies of all sizes want to update their technology – and Office 365 fits perfectly, while delivering instant value to partners and customers.   In fact, a recently commissioned TEI study conducted by Forrester Consulting shows that a composite organization of midsized customers could see ROI of more than 300% with a payback period of just two months with Office 365*.

Because we’re dedicated to helping our partners succeed in the cloud, we’re now taking things up a notch. Here’s what we’re going to do:  

Starting today, partners earn money faster with Office 365. We will now pay partners at the beginning of the quarter (not at the end), which will significantly improve our partners’ cash flow.

Partners that help customer with Enterprise Agreements deploy Office 365 are now eligible to earn commissions. This opens up a significant opportunity for partners to work with some of the largest Microsoft customers in the world.

Microsoft will provide partners with up to 250 enterprise licenses of Office 365 at no charge. This gives our partners the opportunity to use the latest in collaboration and communication technologies offered in Office 365 for the benefit of their own business.

We've also evolved the licensing options availalbe in the Enterprise Agreement. Watch Joe Matz discuss how the updated EA will enable customers and partners to move to the cloud on their their terms.

Drop us a line and let us know what you think of the new changes. We look forward to hearing about your experiences at WPC, and the different ways you’re integrating the cloud into your business.

Editor's Note: There was an error in the above section regarding companies moving to Office 365. Sorry for the confusion.

Allen Filush, Office 365 Product Manager

To join the Office 365 partner program, visit https://www.quickstartonlineservices.com/Pages/Default.html

*The Total Economic Impact Of Microsoft Office 365: Midsized Customers, a commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Microsoft, June 2011