Influential achieves Microsoft Gold Partner certification

With more and more business moving online, it’s safe to say that effective IT will be vital in 2021. And on that note, we’re excited to say that Influential Software has now gained Microsoft Gold Partner certification.

As well as overall Microsoft Gold Partner status, our team has also achieved the following Microsoft competencies:

• Microsoft Gold Cloud Platform
• Microsoft Silver Application Integration
• Microsoft Silver Application Development

Our journey to Microsoft Gold Partner certification

When deciding which IT solutions provider to work with, clients typically look at three things:

1. past customers and projects
2. relevant solutions and specialisms
3. any partnerships and certifications

In our case we had worked with Microsoft technologies for years before deciding to gain the Microsoft Gold Partner certification. Here are a couple of our recent projects with Microsoft Azure, for example:

• Rebuilding Kent County Council’s weather reporting software in Azure
• Helping a cleaning services company migrate from IBM SoftLayer to Azure

However, becoming a Microsoft gold-certified partner is an undeniable badge of quality for our software engineers. While some certifications are simply bought, the Microsoft competencies are only achieved through stringent exams.

Requirements for Microsoft gold-certified partners

It’s possible to be a plain Microsoft Partner. But to gain Silver or Gold, we had to demonstrate some specific competencies.

The Microsoft Silver Competency shows a particular commitment to one of Microsoft’s business solutions. There is a thorough process of examinations to gain the certification. Microsoft Silver Partners are among the top five percent of Microsoft Partners globally.

The Microsoft Gold Competency represents the highest level of certification for Microsoft Partners. Only one percent of all Microsoft Partners have the specialised skill set to become Gold Certified.

Microsoft regularly audits both Silver and Gold partners to check on their proficiency.

How Microsoft competencies benefit you

So you get the picture: Microsoft Gold Partner certification shows we know what we’re doing with Microsoft technology.

But does that certification benefit our customers as well?

We’re glad you asked — because the answer is “Yes.”

See below for the top five ways our Microsoft Gold Certified status benefits our clients.

1. We’re always up to date

As mentioned above, Microsoft regularly checks up on its partners’ expertise. That means we have to stay on top of the technology. Therefore, our clients always get the most up-to-date skills, tools, and advice from us.

2. We’ve got a highly skilled team

Our software team had to pass rigorous exams before we could become Microsoft Gold Certified. These exams are repeated every year, meaning our team is continually learning. That guarantees our clients the most modern and effective approach to Microsoft technologies.

3. Microsoft has you covered

Because of our proven expertise in Microsoft solutions, we rarely need to consult with Microsoft. But being a Microsoft Gold Partner means we can access advanced support if required. This option gives our clients added peace of mind that we can handle any challenge.

4. Quick proofs of concept

A gold-certified Microsoft Partner can access Microsoft software licences to develop demo solutions. This is a valuable way of mocking-up software for our clients so they can see how it works. And because we have the Microsoft licences to hand, we can get this done quickly and easily.

5. Better staff retention

Because we invest in our staff’s Microsoft training, they stick around for longer. Our clients benefit from this because all that experience and expertise stays in-house. The result is higher-quality products and more satisfied customers.