Microsoft Corp has awarded local ICT services provider, THINK iT Solutions, an EOH company, with a Gold Certified competency in Virtualisation, making it the first South African company to achieve this status under Microsoft's recently upgraded Partner Network programme.
Under the new Microsoft Partner Network programme, partners with Gold competencies represent organisations that have demonstrated a high, consistent capability and commitment within specific Microsoft business solution areas.
Where virtualisation is specifically concerned, achieving this competency will assist THINK iT in differentiating its virtualisation expertise to customers while growing its business locally. This is according to Tony dos Santos, technical manager at THINK iT, who says achieving this competency will help THINK iT to maximise the benefits of the Microsoft Partner Network and quickly gain customer credibility.
“The global demand for virtualisation solutions continues to grow and attaining Gold competency is going to help us capitalise on this strong customer demand,” he says. “Not only can we deliver increasing value to customers but we can also solidify our role as trusted advisors by assuring customers that we have the skills needed to build virtualisation infrastructures based on various Microsoft solutions.”
THINK iT CTO, Louis Botha, says finding success within Microsoft's new programme requires adherence to a far more stringent set of criteria. “It is no longer enough to just punt Microsoft solutions as successful partners will find; they are now required to fully understand the solution set and must be able to prove their competencies therein.
“As a Microsoft solutions provider that has always prided itself in comprehensively understanding the solutions it provides, THINK iT is no stranger to the importance of product knowledge. Achieving this certification has underscored its commitment to the Microsoft brand and products and serves as proof of the skill set on offer.”
Botha says achieving Gold competency in Virtualisation means THINK iT has demonstrated the highest, most specialised capability and commitment to the solution and has met the most demanding qualification standards.
Albi Breen, partner sales lead for Microsoft South Africa, concurs, saying the key differentiators between the new and old gold competency is that partners require more Microsoft Certified Professional's that are dedicated to a specific competency and that more customer references are required as proof of this commitment than before.
“All of Microsoft's partners are actively working through the new competency certification processes but it is clearly THINK iT's passion for and focus on Microsoft and its technologies that has contributed toward it being the first to achieve this certification,” she says.
Now, the company boasts access to higher levels of technical support, customer query escalations are simplified, advanced access to upcoming technologies, products and solutions are assured and THINK iT staff will have ongoing access to in depth training opportunities.
Microsoft's Breen says that the Virtualisation Gold competency will differentiate THINK iT from its competitors and will reassure its customers as to its skills capabilities and proof of successful delivery in this space.
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