Partner Development Manager.

Question

Hi,We are currently CSPs.We need to be able to become a LAR (large Account Reseller) or a LSP (License Software Provider), to be&nbsp; able to help our end-customers sign EAs and SCEs (VL-agreements) with Microsoft.In that process, it seems that we need to have a Partner Development Manager.&nbsp;Any guidance into achieving our goal to be able to help our end customers sign EAs and SCEs (VL-agreements) would be greatly appreciated.&nbsp;Thank you!

rehansm · Answer

I can't offer the answer but I must commend you for posting this. This is a notorious challenge with the partner channels, navigating the relationships and receiving clear rules of engagement with Microsoft.&nbsp;I am digitally attending Inspire 2023, and when investigating how partners attend in-person the registration team told me that I need to "contact my PDM" for those type of questions. Just imagine if you're a partner (beginning the quals) just starting out on the engagement and support desks instruct you to contact your PDM or POC as if we would know who that is at early stage. Let alone how should we know the processes of how to do business with the organization across any of their recent transformations. &lt;/Vent&gt;

blakecheek · Answer

I think the requirements have gotten tighter over the years and I won't speculate on all the requirements because I'm sure there's a lot of factors but it is in Microsoft's best interest to have a tight upper echelon rather than letting thousands of indirect partners each managing a few random EA opportunities, especially when the stakes and $$$ are so high on those opportunities.

Are you finding actual customers who would meet EA seat count requirements or are these more PubSec contracts that you're bidding on and would need an EA to be competitive?

blakecheek · Answer

Hey Mmk2118, I don't think this is as simple as just signing up to be able to offer these. There's relatively few LARs out there and if you're not doing the $$$ volume on that level then I'd temper my expectations in terms of what licensing programs you'll be able to offer with the understanding that there will definitely be some EAs that you lose out on. We see this occasionally in the Indirect channel.

mmk2118 · Answer

Hey blakecheek, thanks. It's definitely not simple. What do you think the $$$ volume is?Do you guys have a Partner Development Manager? How do people get assigned one?Thanks

mmk2118 · Answer

We have an actual commercial customer that started through CSP. Microsoft started recommending the Enterprise Agreement directly with them. The Microsoft representative (Sr. Account Manager) said that we would stay on as partner on record but needed to be able to transact EAs. So we need to know how to become a LAR (large Account Reseller), being able to help our end-customers signing EAs and SCEs (VL-agreements) with Microsoft. To do that we need to have a Microsoft PDM (Partner Development Manager). Do you guys have a PDM?

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Partner Development Manager.

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