The Record - Issue 21: Summer 2021

63 them allows us to identify issues, suggest solu- tions and work collaboratively to bring the best solutions to the marketplace, something every business leader wants and expects. End users are reaping the benefits of working with partners that have in-depth understanding of the technology stack, how it works and are connected with the product teams and solutions architects. The conversations we’re having with clients aren’t simply about moving workloads from on-premises to the cloud, but envisioning what work looks like three to five years from now, and making it happen. On the partner side, we have all known that Microsoft Azure is an answer waiting for a problem. Add that to the evolution of Teams, Microsoft’s Power Platform and Dynamics, and we’re seeing end-to-end business solutions develop at a record pace with a shortened time to implement. It’s a great time to be an end user! All partnerships benefit from regular meetings and the opportunity to exchange ideas and information. How are you embracing opportunities to gather virtually, and what events are you planning over the coming months that might help business and civic leaders? Our global community engagement has gone through the roof because our partners are bridg- ing distance and language barriers with technol- ogy. This is relevant to clients because you can work with a partner that is the best fit for your company, regardless of location, and still have a local presence through partnering – it’s incredi- ble. For example, we had a German partner with a client in Wisconsin looking for some local ‘boots on the ground’ to be present during the go-live portion of the project. The German firm could have flown team members out to help, however, that would have incurred considerable costs to the client. Instead, the German partner used the global network of IAMCP to identify three partners with the capa- bilities and resources to service their client and selected the best fit. That’s an often-overlooked value of this organisation – the fact that we’re built on the currency of trust gives Microsoft partners a competitive advantage and their cli- ents an exceptional experience. With regards to upcoming events that we are planning, I am excited to announce our first- ever, client-facing conference. Partners will deliver thought leadership and solutions by busi- ness segment and industry. The idea is to create an immersive experience for decision-makers that helps them envision the future of work to drive business outcomes. “ Our relationship with Microsoft has never been stronger”