Microsoft doubling BPOS initial margins for top US partners

by Ron Grattopp….If you haven’t read it already, let me point to great article by Scott Bekker in Redmond Channel Partner (RCP) Online …Microsoft To Double BPOS Margins for Top U.S. Partners.  And, let me take this opportunity to recommend the Redmond Channel Partner magazine and Online community – it is a great resource for Microsoft partners and the RCP Update newsletter is free.

My cohort, Charles, just blogged about the new Cloud Champions Club last week and in his post you saw a table with some information around the benefits in the 3-tier program.  The RCPO post above comes from an interview Scott did with Eric Martorano, the leader of the new Channel Marketing and Online Services division of the Microsoft’s new Small-Medium Business and Distribution (SMB&D), and adds quite a bit of additional information and insight into the Cloud Champions program opportunity.

The RCPO post points out, and I should note, that the doubled finders’ fee only kicks in for the “top” tier (tier 3), and, of course, you have to be in the Cloud Champions Club.  But hopefully, this and the other benefits of the Cloud Champions Club will be an incentive for you to get moving in this area or perhaps deepen your commitment to getting engaged with Microsoft Online Services. 

In the article, Scott also details more benefits of joining the Cloud Champions Club, including specialized cloud training, monthly Webcasts, marketing support, qualified leads, and an “online services partner development manager (PDM)” which is, in effect, a Microsoft advisor to partners involved in the program.  The PDM will be available to partners at any level and the PDM will be incented to help partners scale up their online services practice and progress to higher levels of the Cloud Champs program (where you can earn these higher margins). And remember, entry criterion for the SMB Cloud Champions Club only requires a partner to sell BPOS to at least three new customers for a minimum 75 total seats (essentially average 25 seat deals).  And, fyi, Eric mentioned that "When we launch Intune, Intune will be put into this program, as well".  But, for now, you’ll need to work with BPOS.  Also, I should point out that SMB Cloud Champions Club is modeled on a previous program called VAR Champions Club, but it is not the same thing, so don’t be confused about that.

Like Charles, I would also recommend you register for this webcast on the Cloud Champions Club Introducing the SMB Cloud Champions Club, with Benefits for Microsoft Online Services Resellers (MOS45PAL)

AND you can also check out more Cloud Champions Club info on the MPN portal at: https://partner.microsoft.com/us/40053541.

And here’s a direct link to free training in the Partner Cloud Training Learning Plan Tool package: Partner Cloud Services Training Plan

Cheers,all

Ron