Johannesburg, 01 Nov 2012
allaboutXpert is a South African provider of solutions, services and support focused on project and portfolio management (PPM) in business. allaboutXpert has become a member of the Microsoft Partner Network, a development which will give it access to a range of Microsoft benefits that include pre-sales and advisory services and partner advisory hours. This will enable allaboutXpert to receive and dispense expert consulting guidance on specified Microsoft product training, technical pre-sales, and delivery support.
allaboutXpert is now a Microsoft Silver Certified Project and Portfolio Management partner, in recognition of the company's high levels of competence, and puts it well on course to achieve the coveted Microsoft Gold Certified Partner in early 2013.
CEO Mathew Pitman says the partnership with the global software giant means that allaboutXpert will have access to certain Microsoft software and material that will help the project management firm to provide more cost-effective and efficient solutions to its clients. In addition, the partnership also allows an allaboutXpert staff member to become part of the Microsoft Virtual Technology Specialist Program (v-TSP), which is a group within Microsoft's partner community that is chosen to supplement Microsoft's internal Technology Specialist (TS) team.
"We are delighted to have a partner such as Microsoft, because it is a recognised leader in developing innovative software that is crucial to the delivery of projects. This partnership will enhance our credibility and expose us to more potential clients. For our clients, the good news is that it will help us significantly save them time and help bring down their costs, so that they can focus more of their resources on running their business," says Pitman.
"This will enable us to develop and implement solutions for project management quickly and efficiently. We will always be up to date on the very latest status of Microsoft's technologies, and this certified partnership is evidence that we have many years of in-depth experience, as well as a broad range of expertise in-house."
"With regard to the v-TSP in particular, members of this elite group have direct access to Microsoft's internal resources, which not only enable us to bring our experience to the TS community around the world, but also extend the service we offer to our customers."
He says the company's aim going forward is to achieve the gold certification and preferred partner status across numerous competencies within the Microsoft Partner Network.
"For us, this will mean that we will be able to work very closely with Microsoft and ensure that our solution meets with our clients' requirements and deliver immediate productivity gains. When you achieve the Microsoft Gold Project and Portfolio Management competency, you demonstrate greater value to your customers by showcasing best-in-class capabilities that have undergone a rigorous and auditable approval process," he says.
James Avenant, Product Marketing Manager, Microsoft Project, Microsoft Visio and Microsoft Office 365 at Microsoft SA, says: "We are delighted to welcome allaboutXpert into our global network. The network offers opportunities to build trusted relationships with Microsoft and other Microsoft partners to help companies offer even more innovative solutions to customers. Like all our partners, we believe that allaboutXpert will be able to create and enter new markets with early access to our latest technologies, as well as deepening its business and technical expertise through clear learning paths."
Pitman says the company's strategy is to continuously develop partnerships that will benefit customers and grow its business. Apart from Microsoft, the company has also partnered with other international project management groups, including US-based UMT, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, and a thought leader in project and portfolio management consulting, software products and training, and Canada's Fluentpro, which develops software products that significantly increase a customer's productivity with Microsoft Project Server 2010 /2013.
"We are continuously looking for opportunities to partner with other stakeholders to ensure that our clients benefit. Creating such partnerships gives access to latest innovative tools that put us at the forefront of providing efficient and cost-effective solutions to our clients across the board," he says.
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