The Record - Issue 21: Summer 2021

53 W hen embarking on a new IT project it is sometimes difficult to know where to start, particularly if the skills required to achieve your objectives do not lie within your own organisation. With hundreds of thousands of Microsoft partners to turn to for support, pin- pointing one that can provide the best solutions for your needs is not always a simple task. A good starting point is to look for a Microsoft Gold competency partner, which denotes an elevated level of knowledge and experience in specific areas. Partners with an active gold competency who demonstrate deep knowledge in a specific area may seek an advanced special- isation, which increases your visibility to cus- tomers through prioritised ranking in searches and assures potential customers that you meet the highest standards for service delivery and support. At Maureen Data Systems we have reached advanced specialisations status – attained by only a very small percentage of Microsoft partners – in seven areas: Windows & SQL Server Migration, Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop, Threat Protection, Identity and Access Management, Teamwork Deployment, and Calling for Microsoft Teams. The latter is a relatively new specialisation that reflects the fact that now, in the wake of the pandemic, many organisations are adopting or increasing their use of modern voice solutions and phone calling capabilities that combine uni- fied communications and teamwork. Calling in Teams provides features for a seam- less, collaborative experience for employees, partners and customers, but can be quite com- plex to implement. It involves network remedi- ation, Office 365 service deployment telephone number provisioning or porting, and device deployment. Entering into such a project with- out the required knowledge and experience could result in expensive failure. Maureen Data Systems recently implemented Microsoft Intune and Teams for a large educa- tion client with over 30,000 students, over the holiday period, in time for the return to school of students and staff. We were able to evaluate their current environment during multiple dis- covery sessions, using proprietary framework and Modern Work Collaboration scenarios to process what was needed for users to teach and learn from anywhere, then recommend and implement the appropriate solution. The school was confident going into the new year with this technology and can now collabo- rate with the students and staff easily. We worked hand-in-hand with the client to ensure they were comfortable with how to configure and use the solutions too. Maureen Data Systems not only excels in edu- cation but we have deep expertise in financial ser- vices, healthcare, retail and manufacturing – with dedicated teams ready to help you architect your next chapter of success. Finding a partner with the industry passion, regional presence and advanced specialisation could be your hallmark for success! Lyndsey Creamer is global director of marketing at Maureen Data Systems Advancing your IT Choosing a partner with advanced specialisations capabilities from Microsoft provides you with confidence by tapping into their base of deep knowledge and extensive experience LYND S E Y C R E AME R : MAUR E EN DATA S Y S T EMS V I EWPO I NT “We are incredibly proud to say we have reached advanced specialisations status in seven areas and counting”