With their customers curious about Copilot’s potential, we spoke to Microsoft Partners about how they can support the transition to an AI-led world.
In Autumn 2023, Surveil had the privilege of co-sponsoring IAMCP UK’s mini meet-up, held in the midst of the exciting South Coast Summit.
Through a series of topical roundtables, Microsoft Partners were provided with the opportunity to discuss challenges, share knowledge, and learn about advances in the cloud technology space.
During our roundtable – hosted by our CTO, Harold Groothedde, and Product Director, Laurence Dale – that we heard from several Microsoft Partners about their customers’ Copilot curiosity, their own experiences working with AI, and how we can all support the AI transition.
Interestingly, the conversation didn’t limit itself to AI’s potential, but also looked at the obstacles arising along the way – and how partners can over them to ensure mutual success. Here’s what we learnt.
It’s a Race to Stay Relevant
A stand-out takeaway from the conversation was the necessity to keep up with current industry developments and trends. With AI rapidly advancing, current go-to-market strategies are becoming outdated quicker than ever, resulting in partners needing to ramp-up adaptability and agility so they aren’t left behind.
Partners Can Help Customers Understand Their Readiness
As with any exciting new technological development, there’s the urge to rush into AI, adopting every solution available in the hopes of keeping pace. During the discussion, it became clear that Microsoft Partners can play a vital role in managing the transition to AI by ensuring a careful assessment of both AI’s value and the customer’s readiness. This can help to support confident strategic decisions, while maximising the value available from adopting AI-driven solutions.
Customer Education is Key…
A recurring suggestion for effectively managing the transition to AI was the importance of education. Before diving into a new realm of technological possibility, it’s critical for customers to have the basics – data quality, security processes etc. – covered first. Contributors to the roundtable suggested the establishing of a coaching scheme for partners to welcome customers into the AI space, allowing them to get their feet off the ground whilst ensuring the foundations of security and data protection don’t get left behind.
…But so is Partner Development
It’s not just customer education to consider, either. For partners, there’s a great deal of value to be had in adopting AI training programmes – covering how to drive, educate, and advise customers on AI, as well as how to support on data foundations and governance. By continuously working on their own learning and skill development, Microsoft Partners can be better positioned to support customer success and growth, confident that they can navigate the complexities of AI themselves.
Copilot is Full of Potential
Already, Copilot has become an indispensable ally for both familiar users and new customers, fostering collaboration and enabling the development of innovative solutions through the power of AI. It was clear throughout the roundtable that the excitement around Microsoft Copilot is palpable, and it’s sure to give way to a whole host of fascinating ideas that will help partners and customers to differentiate themselves in the market. Most importantly, our main takeaway from the discussion was a simple one: AI is not a threat, but an opportunity to generate greater value for everybody.
Realistically, we’re only really at the start of Copilot’s journey; there’s so much further yet to go, and we’re already full of questions about what comes next. How will organisations use Copilot’s AI capabilities to transform their processes? What new innovations are waiting in the wings? Will AI drive greater data quality and security practices? If we learnt anything from talking with other Microsoft Partners, it’s that an exciting future is up for grabs – and by embracing their role, Microsoft Partners can be at the heart of their customers’ AI success.
Microsoft partners have a unique opportunity to help customers navigate the AI landscape and deliver value-added solutions in a quick, yet effective manner. Get in touch today to see how you can help your customers to prepare for Copilot adoption with Surveil’s actionable insights.