Why you should choose to work with a Microsoft Gold Partner and how to get gold competencies

When choosing an external IT provider, it is crucial to find a partner that can align with your business technology demands. By partnering with a Microsoft Partner, you'll be able to take advantage of their proven expertise in Microsoft products as well as a high level of customer service. This article will help you understand more about Microsoft Gold Partner to make the best choice.

What is a Microsoft Gold Partner?

Microsoft Partner designations are certifications, also known as “competencies,” that illustrate a company's level of experience and expertise in working with Microsoft's suite of products and services.

In order to become a partner, a partner must meet certain expectations and requirements for each competency. Competencies aligned with how customers buy mean that customers can use them to identify a company's unique capabilities because they represent specific, proven skillsets.

A Microsoft Gold Partner has attained the highest level of certification in their chosen competency, demonstrating an even higher level of expertise and proven skillset in a specific technology or service area. They provide the highest level of company customer service as well as all the advantages that a collaborative relationship with Microsoft has to offer.

Business solutions developed by Gold Partners boost the efficiency they provide to their clients by intelligently utilizing Microsoft's products. They're in the top 1% of business partners in the world.

Benefits of being a Microsoft Gold Partner

Many independent businesses choose to become a Microsoft Gold Partner because they are entitled to many competency benefits and privileges, such as exclusive access to Microsoft tools, utilities, and toolkits, as well as participation in Microsoft's ongoing training programs (at low or no cost) and tutorials.

Microsoft Gold Partners benefits greatly from continuous online technical support, news, updates and useful information provided by the software giant:

• More partnership opportunities with Microsoft
• Continuous customer support, news & updates
• More reliable partner network connections
• Smarter training tools & programs
• Exclusive access to member resources
• Licenses for Microsoft products
• Have been recognized as a leader within the partner community

Why would customer prefer to work with a Microsoft Gold Partner?

• Work with the expertise you can completely trust: All Microsoft Gold Partners are required to fulfil strict standards and are tested annually, so they must constantly update and improve their skills in order to maintain their certification. The team you work with will know your product inside and out, and they will be on top of the latest updates and know exactly how to get the most out of it to meet your expectations. Moreover, Gold certification also ensures your partner has a ‘deep bench’ of qualified people ready to assist you at every stage of your project. So, if the team restructures or the expert leaves, the project is less likely to fail. More resources mean faster task and issue completion.
• Gold Certified Partners are always up to date with the best solutions: Because Gold Partners have access to the most recent enhancements, their clients and customers alike can take advantage of the best solutions. Most up-to-date people not only know the product or technology well, but they also know how to put it to the best use for your particular needs.
• Full integration with your systems and services: A Gold Partner's expertise in Microsoft technologies provides an additional critical advantage: flawless integration with customers' systems and complete understanding of their business and IT issues. Members of the Microsoft Partner network thus benefit from the publisher's latest innovations and knowledge, as well as resources and infrastructures that ensure the security of their user/customer data, with no extra charge. All of this adds up to a one-of-a-kind, custom-built system customized to you.

• Gold Partners have close connections to Microsoft: Microsoft Gold Partners are subject-matter experts in their respective fields, so they rarely seek assistance from Microsoft. If a support case is opened with Microsoft, however, Gold Partners will have direct access to Microsoft Business Solutions' advanced support partners. The final outcome? Improved response times and support at the highest level. In addition, Gold Partners can escalate a case if necessary.

How to become a Microsoft Gold Partner?

In order to become a Microsoft Gold Partner, Microsoft requires that Partners:

• Participate in the Microsoft Customer Satisfaction Index
• Get a certain number of customers to endorse their service delivery.
• Meet specific sales requirements to prove market suitability
• Ensure that a certain number of employees or other workers pass relevant Microsoft certification exams to achieve target competencies
• Keep improving their strengths by staying up to date with the latest solutions.
• Pass regular reviews of competence and customer service ratings

Microsoft Gold Partners can choose to specialize further in order to increase the depth of their knowledge and skillset. Following are a few common advanced specializations pursued by Partners:

• Azure advanced specializations, including modernizing web applications, data warehouse migration, and Kubernetes on Microsoft Azure
• Low code application development and management for SMBs
• Modern work competencies, such as remote work deployment, change management, and Microsoft Teams-related solutions
• Security specializations, such as identity and access management

If you are looking for a technology partner proving gold standard, do not hesitate to contact Groove Technology today.