Microsoft Partners Foresee Gain in Office 365 Use
-
Microsoft Partners Foresee Gain in Office 365 Use
The adoption of Microsoft Office 365 is expected to increase in the coming months, with partners planning to build new service offerings to meet customer needs. -
"Buy" Recommendation
97% of survey respondents expect their clients' use of Microsoft Office 365 to increase in the next 12 months, with more than one-half anticipating no less than a 30% increase in adoption. -
New Frontiers
57% seek to open new revenue streams by offering cloud/Office 365 solutions to customers, and 48% want to build new service offerings upon these solutions. -
Expanded Portfolio
Among those building new service offerings upon cloud/Office 365, nearly four out of five are adding strategic/business process consulting services, and 53% are providing cloud management. -
Adoption Drivers: Budget-Minded
68% said their customers are adopting Office 365 for cost savings, including an increase of storage efficiencies by migrating email to the cloud and eliminating on-premises infrastructure. -
Adoption Drivers: Splendid Toolset
49% said their customers are opting for Office 365 so they can access the latest versions of apps, and 44% are seeking to expand collaboration capabilities. -
Formidable Barriers
62% cited security concerns as one of the biggest obstacles in the customer adoption of Office 365, and 39% cited concerns about the migration of customized environments. More than two-thirds pointed to concerns about effective data migration. -
Major Challenges: Talent Search
41% said they find the need to "up-level" their teams' skills represents a significant challenge in creating strong cloud/Office 365 competencies, and 40% feel that this market's revenue stream is insufficient so far. -
Major Challenges: Competitive Environment
38% said they're challenged by competition within Microsoft's professional services and FastTrack program, while 38% said they’re challenged by prospects of heavy investment in new competencies with an unclear sense of return. -
School's in Session
74% are training themselves to prepare for Office 365, while 62% are also taking advantage of Microsoft-provided training. -
Pay It Forward
23% are actively engaging in sharing best practices about Office 365 with peers.
What Partners Need to Know About HP, Inc. 
MSPs Face Big Cybersecurity Talent Gap 
Why Tech Companies Are Eager to Invest in 5G 
The Problem With Partner Referral Programs 
Microsoft Taps Channel for Digital Business 
New Technologies Will Fuel Channel Opportunities 
Channel's Transition to the Cloud Requires More Time 
Microsoft's Cloud Channel Begins to Mature 
Defining MSPs' Goals, Challenges and Tools 
Why Metrics Matter to the Channel A vast majority of Microsoft partners expect an increase in their customers' adoption of Office 365 in the next 12 months, and most expect this increase to be significant, according to the findings of a recent survey from Harmon.ie. The report reveals that these partners are looking to open new revenue streams through cloud/Office 365 and many plan to build new service offerings for customers. In turn, customers are adopting Microsoft's "always-up-to-date cloud service" in hopes of cutting costs and expanding collaborative capabilities and access to current business apps. To satisfy these demands, partners will need to raise their visibility in this market. "The simplicity of deploying cloud services creates a significant opportunity for partners to build multi-vendor cloud solutions for customers that bring best-of-breed solutions together to meet unique needs," according to the report. "Integration of these solutions into single work streams will be imperative to maximize their potential and return on investment." Here are key takeaways from the survey, which is based on input from more than 110 Microsoft partners.