Differentiate with a Desktop Competency
Deliver flexible solutions that match today’s diverse workstyles
The culture of work is changing
Tech-savvy and always-connected, people want faster, more intuitive technology, uninterrupted services, and freedom to work anywhere, anytime, on a variety of devices.
Meet your customer needs and showcase your expertise as a trusted advisor with deep skills on delivering, deploying,and supporting solutions with Windows® 7, Office 2010, and the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP).
Have you already attained one of the server and tools competencies? Then the Desktop competency is a perfect complement to your portfolio! And attaining one of the gold server and tools competencies makes you eligible for channel incentives if you have earned the Silver or Gold Desktop competency.
Leverage the advantage of a Silver Desktop Competency
See key benefits >Silver Desktop Benefits
- Core internal-use software licenses to serve a 25-person company—including Windows 7 Enterprise
- 5 Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Premium with MSDN subscriptions
- 3 TechNet for Microsoft Competency Partners subscriptions
- Customized Silver Desktop competency logo to demonstrate your expertise
- 20 Partner Advisory Hours that can be used for Technical Enablement, and Technical Presales and Advisory Services from Microsoft consultants. Hours are not deducted for presales services used with deals worth US$3,000 or more.
- Partners with a Silver Desktop competency and a gold competency in Systems Manage ment, Identity and Security, Virtualization or Server Platform or a Gold Desktop competency can earn joint marketing funds and proof-of-concept Jumpstart funding.
Leverage the advantage of a Gold Desktop Competency
See key benefits >Gold Desktop Benefits
- Core internal-use software licenses to serve a 100-person company—including Windows 7 Enterprise
- 10 Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Premium with MSDN subscriptions
- 3 TechNet for Microsoft Competency Partners subscriptions
- Customized Gold Desktop competency logo to demonstrate your expertise
- 50 Partner Advisory Hours that can be used for Technical Enablement, and Technical Presales and Advisory Services from Microsoft consultants. Hours are not deducted for presales services used with deals worth US$3,000 or more.
- Joint marketing funds and proof-of-concept Jumpstart funding.
- Solution incentive fees up to 10% of a customer deal.
- Desktop profitability proof pack (available to partners with Account Managers, via the PSP Activation Kit.)
How to achieve:
Requirements are below. Recommended exam: 70-681 as this is gold competency requirement starting October 2011 and silver competency requirement starting May 2012!
| Category | Silver Competency | Gold Competency |
| Credentials | Employ or contract with two Microsoft Certified Professionals (MCPs). |
Employ or contract with four unique MCPs with credentials not assigned to any other gold competency. |
| Review training guides to pass required exams and assessments. | ||
| Revenue | Not applicable |
Agree to the revenue commitment |
| Business and Assessments | Pass the Licensing assessment and one of the Sales & Marketing assessments |
Pass the Licensing assessment and one of the Sales & Marketing assessments |
| Customer Evidence | Provide three verifiable customer references. |
Provide five verifiable customer references. Participate in the Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) Index. |
| Commitment |
Complete a full profile Silver competency fee |
Complete a full profile Gold competency fee |
Desktop Competency Award Winners
Accenture/Avanade
We help transform the enterprise desktop into a strategic productivity platform delivering business users the right tools to do their job wherever they may be.
In preparation for a technology refresh, which included a migration to Windows 7 and application virtualization, our client struggled to identify and rationalize the thousands of applications in use across the enterprise. They sought to standardize and simplify their application portfolio and reduce ongoing costs. This client’s new standard desktop utilizes a Windows 7 and Office 2010 base platform, with virtualized applications (App-V). We delivered the Windows 7 image and applications using System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) Operating System Deployment. This was a zero touch deployment. The client has forecasted a savings of over US$500,000 in application testing and packaging based on a reduction in the number of required applications.
Starting with more than 32,000 applications, the client determined they could reduce this number to 1,200 with the new desktop solution. Accenture/Avanade further reduced this number to 300 and has worked with the client on the method to implement this reduction.
Accenture/Avanade looks for every opportunity to leverage the Microsoft Partner Network in our business and strengthen our alliance with Microsoft. We regularly use benefits such as the competency logo on our marketing materials, the Partner Learning Center to help train our employees (we are ranked #2 in terms of number of MCPs) and Pinpoint to promote our services. Accenture/Avanade is recognized as a top Microsoft partner worldwide, committed to building and retaining motivated teams and driving client-oriented relationships. We design and deliver industrialized, repeatable business and technology solutions on the full range of Microsoft platforms that drive successful business results for our clients.
