The Cloud Enablement Desk can grow your Microsoft Cloud Practice

This article will help you understand how you can leverage its resources and benefits to grow your Microsoft Cloud practice.

What is the Cloud Enablement Desk?

The Cloud Enablement Desk is one of three programs through which Microsoft Cloud Partners can engage with Microsoft to obtain support, advice and resources.

There are three levels to these programs:

1. Digital Guided Experience for Partners: this is for you if you’re not ready to get started with the Cloud enablement desk. It’s a set of online resources and guides you can use to get started with your Cloud Practice
2. Cloud Enablement Desk
3. PDM-Managed Partners

Eligibility criteria for the Cloud Enablement Desk

The Cloud Enablement Desk is for you if:

• You already are a Microsoft Partner and have an Microsoft Partner Network (MPN) ID
• You are actively delivering Microsoft Cloud solutions with a repeatable type of model
• You are not a PDM-Managed Partner

Cloud Enablement Desk services

There are two categories of services available via the Cloud Enablement Desk, based on your situation and what you need the most.

1. Accelerate to Go-To-Market (GTM) ready

This option offers support with building and accelerating your Microsoft Cloud Practice for a duration of up to nine months.

What it will do for you:

• Actively help you understand licensing models and pick the right option for your business
• Guide you towards activating Microsoft Partner benefits
• Help you to understand and reach a Silver or Gold competency
• Guide your marketplace entry and engagement
• Support the creation of your marketing strategy
• Referral Engine profile optimisation

If you purchase an Action Pack Subscription or obtain a Silver/Gold competency, additional benefits are available to you:

• Guidance towards the right training resources for your team, including the suggestion of customised learning plans
• GTM Resource Desk: Partner Technical Consultants support: level 300-400 Microsoft product experts will support you with deep technical readiness and provide you with pre-sales assistance. This service is a very effective way to drive and increase your Azure revenue.

The Action Pack Subscription costs USD 500 per year and comes with USD 1200 Azure credits, as well as a number of Microsoft software licenses for your internal use.

2. Onboard to Co-Sell ready

This option will guide you through the requirements, tools and processes you need to become Co-Sell ready.

With this option, you will get thorough assistance to set-up your Co-Sell profile and Co-Sell solution. At the end of the process, you will be fully ready to share or accept co-sell opportunities via Partner Sales Connect.

In order to benefit from the Onboard to Co-Sell ready option, you must meet these requirements:

• Partner Center Refer and Track or Partner Sales Connect
• Gold Competency
• At least 3 customer wins
• Partner sales contact
• Listed in the OCP Catalog
• Co-Sell BOM uploaded in OCP catalog

How to start benefiting from the Could Enablement Desk

If you are interested, you can nominate your organisation via this CED nomination form.

Each geography has a limited amount of available seats, which means the service isn’t always available. If the URL doesn’t work for you, it means that Microsoft has run out of capacity in your area and you will need to try again after a few months.

Cloud Enablement Desk – resources and links

If you’d like to learn about the Cloud Enablement Desk from Microsoft directly, here are two great resources that will help:

• How to engage the Cloud Enablement Desk to grow your cloud practice by Sarah Broadbent on Microsoft US Partner Blog
• FY19 Cloud Enablement Desk a video by John Mighell on the Microsoft Partner Support YouTube Channel

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