Microsoft Is Catching Up To Its Top Partners

For a number of leading Microsoft partners who spoke with CRN, the focus on going to market by solution area and by industry is not a novel concept. Neither is the emphasis on digital transformation. But these partners said they're enthused to see Microsoft putting the approaches front and center in their sales and product strategies.

"We've gone to market by industry for years and years. That alignment to us is ringing very positively," said Tony DiBenedetto, CEO of Tampa, Fla.-based Tribridge, which was acquired this month by DXC Technology. "The organizational changes in the U.S. are well received from most of the partners I've talked to so far. They've made it simpler -- simpler customer segmentation, going by industry. We think this is how customers buy."

At Watertown, Mass.-based BlueMetal, a division of Insight, Vice President and National General Manager for Corporate Matt Jackson said he also thinks Microsoft has been learning from its partners on go-to-market and digital transformation.

"The way Satya framed it -- focusing on the customer, operational optimization -- we've been talking about basically the same thing for about two years. But it's finally real," Jackson said. "If you look at our portfolio of clients and products, they're almost all in that general digital transformation category. I do wonder how long it'll be before it's overplayed. But we'll ride it while we can."