A great example of Microsoft Partners collaborating to deliver value

We could not let the opportunity pass-by to showcase a shining example of Microsoft partners collaborating with one another to deliver value to customers as well as drive their own businesses!

Richard Tubb of Netlink IT, an active SBSC partner based in the Midlands, has just written a post on his blog to discuss the value his company gets from collaboration with other partners. He specifically references a recent project his company got involved in which required collaboration with a number of Microsoft partners, including some members of the Small Business Specialist Community! 

Aparion IT, an IT Consultancy based in Nottingham, approached Richard for assistance with a project for a large multi-national Transport company operating within the UK. Aparion had recently won a large project based overseas which was keeping them very busy so were under-resourced to tackle the Transport project immediately, but loathe to pass up on the opportunity - hence they approached Richard. Richard took the opportunity onboard and soon realised it also required additional expertise and on-the-ground staff for the various UK site visits that needed to be carried out. Unfortunately Netlink IT were not in a position manage all the workload so Richard therefore called on many of the trusted relationships he had built up with Microsoft partners through networking and the project was successfully completed for the client.

Do take some time to read through Richard’s account on his blog as it is very inspirational and might make you think twice about partnering with others.

Here’s a few quotes we’ve pulled out from Richard’s article:

“As the business grew and I started to face up to the reality that Richard Tubb alone couldn’t work 24x7x365, I turned to some of these trusted partnerships I’d built and we worked together to solve mutual problems – issues such as sickness and holidays started becoming manageable instead of impossible, working with clients in geographical areas outside the standard became logistically possible, and those larger projects we’d previously shied away from as being “too big” started to look possible to tackle. As well as growth through taking on staff, our business naturally evolved to the stage where we treat our trusted partners very much like we would an employee – with induction programs, training plans and shared opportunities for personal and professional growth.”…

“All of this work was delivered on the back of partnerships built between companies delivering similar services that many would traditionally look upon as competitors who shouldn’t, or couldn’t, work together. I personally think it’s the perfect example of how partnerships and collaboration can work at the SMB level and I’m pleased to have been a big part of it!”

Go here to read more: A great example of Microsoft Partners collaborating to deliver value - Windows Live

If you would like to start networking with other partners why not sign up to the Microsoft Partner Community. The MPC is a business networking platform designed to facilitate UK partner to partner connection, knowledge and information exchange. Sign in with a Windows Live ID (guidance is provided), complete your profile and start connecting!

Another way to network is to join any one of the active SBSC user groups. Find out more about user groups local to you by visiting the “Connecting with Peers” tab on the Community page of the Small Business Specialist partner portal pages: www.microsoft.com/uk/partner/sbsc.