Microsoft’s Value Add

Meetul B. Patel,
General Manager - SMS&P,
Microsoft India

Microsoft sees its partners as strategically important not just for its business, but also for the overall development of the IT market in India. Meetul B. Patel, General Manager - SMS&P, Microsoft India, gives us the regional take.

Microsoft has always been and continues to be a partner-centric business.  In India, the company reaches and serves its customers through over 10,000 partners.  This ecosystem continues to expand as IT adoption in India grows, and is evolving as the industry and Microsoft shift to a Cloud Services and Devices future.

Partners of paramount importance

When the new technology of Microsoft comes together with the expansive reach and deep capabilities of its partners, great things happen for the entire ecosystem.  Customers get access to skills and perspectives, solutions that work for India are developed, and users in dozens of cities get training and local support when they need it.  The result is greater market growth and increasing opportunities for all. 

Meetul says, “We see an incredible opportunity today and in the future for Microsoft and our partners.  We work each day with our partners to expand IT usage in large customers and to reach millions of small business customers across India and tens of millions of consumers who are beginning to accelerate their adoption of technology with the evolution of mobile technologies and cloud services.” 

“As big as it already is, the opportunity in India is just beginning to develop, and we are excited about what lies ahead for Microsoft and our partners. We are truly breaking through as a devices and services company. Our strategy will focus on presenting a family of devices and services for individuals and businesses that empower people at home, at work and on the go, for the activities they value most. Our opportunity is clear - and it has never been greater.”

Supporting Partners

Microsoft has many roles focused on supporting partners. These resources help partners tap into the market opportunity by providing support in 3 key areas: 

1) Reaching customers through marketing activities

2) Building partner capabilities in Microsoft’s technologies 

3) Co-selling with our partners

The company constantly runs programs to help develop its partners’ capabilities.  Some of these programs provide basic awareness of our products and solutions.  Others help partners develop their own marketing and sales capabilities.  The company’s marketing teams raise awareness of our solutions in the market and direct leads to partners.  They also work with partners on events and other programs across India to help them surface and progress opportunities. “And, our partner sales teams work every day with partners to support sales execution efforts,” says Meetul. 

Besides these day-to-day activities with its partners in the market, Microsoft also works on more strategic areas of opportunity creation and demand generation.  For example, the company  runs programs with educational institutions to develop talent that partners can eventually leverage, and the company works with ISVs and other partners to develop solutions that run on its platforms and create opportunity for greater sales.

The IT market is changing dramatically. The advent of mobility, cloud services, social collaboration, and business intelligence is changing what partners need to sell, who they can sell to, and how they need to go to market.

Meetul believes that partners should focus on 3 areas to capitalize on the large opportunity that is presented by the technology trends and the growing adoption of IT in India:

• Target the tremendous white space that exists in India:  

• Build annuity revenue streams:  

• Sell platforms that can increase future revenues:

Meetul is looking to work together to expand the market and realize growth for each other.  “As we enter the new era of computing and push for the untapped market in India, we are asking our partners to evolve with the market and Microsoft.  We will need to move forward into the world of Devices and Services together, navigate the uncertainties that come with change together, and collaborate with each other closely. As long as there is continued belief that our growth depends on each other, I am sure we will continue to succeed with each other in the exciting years ahead.”