After successfully meeting stringent criteria set down by Microsoft, Dimension Data has been appointed as a Gold Certified Partner for Support Services, enabling Dimension Data KZN to ensure the highest support and service to its customer base.
Microsoft Gold Partner for Support Services status is the new designation for the Microsoft Certified Support Centre (MCSC) programme. The status means those partners selected provide the industry`s best support for Microsoft environments and such support is an integral part of their business.
"Gold Support Partners are appointed for their ability to provide high quality support and a full range of multi-vendor support services for their organisations and companies using our products in all types of environments," says Violet van Niekerk, Microsoft`s regional manager for KZN.
She welcomes Dimension Data`s appointment, saying that the company`s quality of service at all levels of business ranging from small, to medium to enterprise will be highly sought-after by its customers.
Jay Reddy, regional manager for enterprise systems at Dimension Data KZN, believes the benefits for customers are considerable as they can offer support services spanning from the hardware to the installation.
Microsoft`s policy is to maintain a close relationship with its Gold partners and ensure they continually meet a rigorous set of quality standards designed to ensure delivery of comprehensive technical support.
To become a Gold Support Partner, the following criteria must be met:
a. Extensive support infrastructure; b. Certified and experienced support professionals on staff; c. Years of industry experience providing multi-vendor support solutions; d. Recognised as industry-leading support providers; e. Deep relationship with Microsoft Product Support Services; and f. Cost-effective support for unprecedented value.
Gold Support Partners know Microsoft products inside out as they often receive the same early training as Microsoft`s own product professionals. Their close relationship means they can usually resolve technical incidents quickly and effectively or escalate an incident to their Microsoft colleagues for fast, accurate resolutions.
Peter Spies, product manager Enterprise Systems, says that of the 130 staff at Dimension Data KZN, 40 are Microsoft professionals providing a range of services including consulting, design, implementation and support of Microsoft product solutions. The company also works closely with hardware vendors, such as Compaq and IBM, offering data centre and application centre solutions.
Underpinning Dimension Data is the Global Services Operating Architecture (GSOA). Providing a comprehensive managed services platform, GSOA allows Dimension Data to proactively support, report and evaluate customers` systems in a real-time, online environment.
This system - a world first - renders obsolete the traditional reactive help desk approach applied by conventional managed service providers.
GSOA also allows customers and engineers to access information through a self-service Web-based portal, providing a real-time view of the status of customers` communications systems and permits continuous access by engineers to enable online, proactive support.
"In conjunction with the GSOA service and the new Microsoft Gold Partner status, Dimension Data customers in KZN can expect the highest level of support in the province," says Spies.
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Dimension Data Holdings plc (LSE: DDT), is a leading technology company that represents a new category of systems integrator providing network and multi-channel e-business solutions to global corporations.
Founded in 1983 as a specialist supplier of technology and services, Dimension Data`s strategy has evolved with the emergence of the intelligent network as the most important enabler in business today.
Dimension Data`s global presence combined with its expertise and extensive skills base in network infrastructure and e-business solutions environments enables its customers to ascend into the global marketplace through 100% connectivity and integration.
Listed on the London Stock Exchange, Dimension Data is a member of the FTSE 100 index, employs over 12 000 people and operates in over 30 countries on six continents. Dimension Data has achieved a three-year compound annual growth rate in US dollars of 73% in revenue and 36% in basic earnings per share. For more information, please go to www.didata.com.
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