How an IT Provider with Microsoft Competencies Benefits Your Business
At the start of the Olympics, athletes in every sport are unified by one goal: going for the gold. The medal (along with silver and bronze) designates those athletes as the best in the world at what they do. Microsoft has a similar system designed to highlight superior partners: Competencies.
It requires fewer sessions in the gym but the meaning is the same. Partners receive Silver and Gold competencies as a mark of exceptional work. To dive deeper into Microsoft competencies and gain an insider’s view, we spoke with Gharun Hester, a Senior Partner Development Manager at Microsoft.
How Microsoft Competencies Work
Competencies single out the Microsoft partners who make extra efforts to educate employees and surpass client expectations. Partners can identify areas for competencies like Communications or Cloud Business Applications.
Currently, Nortec has 8 Gold and 2 Silver competencies, an achievement Hester described as “fantastic.” When partners want a Gold or Silver competency, they first receive educational material. The partner then needs to prove knowledge of the subject and the ability to deliver solutions to clients. This can be done through exams and certifications or by meeting stringent performance goals. Additionally, customer references must be submitted and approved by Microsoft. Silver competencies usually require 3 testimonials, while a partner needs 5 references to attain Gold.
“Nortec’s commitment to people, culture and development is exactly what we look for in outstanding partners,” Hester stated. “For years, Nortec has consistently demonstrated the ability to deliver high-quality, expert support to clients while continually evolving internally to stay on top of the latest technology trends.”
Benefits to Our Clients
Having Hester as our dedicated partner manager is an incredibly valuable resource for our clients because we can escalate issues on their behalf.
These deep inroads into Microsoft mean our team can access more resources and capabilities. We have insights into new innovations, making it easier to roadmap information, help during whiteboarding sessions, implement end-of-support solutions or access funding for implementation of new projects.
George Has Been Invited to Address Undergraduates at CUCSC!
In July, Nortec COO and EVP, George Hammerschmidt, will be heading to The Canadian Undergraduate Computer Science Conference (CUCSC) in Windsor, Ontario. This annual conference presents undergraduates the chance to engage with the latest research, interact with industry experts and learn from their peers. George will be speaking about the future of computer science and we look forward to hearing about his trip up North!
Team Nortec - Deb Wiker, VP of Sales
Meet Deb Wiker, our VP of sales! Deb took some time from her busy day to answer a few of our questions.
1. How would you describe your role at Nortec? I would describe myself as a business development and cloud evangelist, team lead. Additionally, I help to improve sales operation processes and ensure our new clients have a great experience (particularly on-boarding) with Nortec as an organization.
2. What inspires you the most about the people you work with? I am inspired by the level of commitment and focus all Nortec employees have for clients! Regardless of the role, everyone at Nortec works hard to be very responsive and satisfy any concern a client expresses. It does not matter if it is sales, operations, training or some other related matter.
3. Why should businesses think about the cloud? All businesses, regardless of shape or size, should think about the cloud because it provides many advantages to increase their internal user’s productivity while greatly enhancing their corporate security posture.
For example, small businesses now can leverage enterprise level security and collaboration tools that even 4 years ago was beyond their reach. It is fair to say the cloud has leveled the playing field for all businesses, in terms of scalability & flexibility, from small startups and mid-sized organizations to very large multi-nationals regarding data security, improved collaboration and back-up/business continuity.
4. What are you interested in outside the office? Outside the office I am an avid outdoors person; I love to go scuba diving, ride horses, cycle and hike.
5. What is one thing that people would be surprised to know about you? I have and ride a V-Star Classic motorcycle as often as I can.
Please join the Nortec team in congratulating Lauren Hirschman and family! Ava arrived for Easter: 6:15 p.m., April 21, coming in at 6 lbs. 8 oz. and 20 inches. Both baby and mom are doing well.
In July, Nortec COO and EVP, George Hammerschmidt, will be heading to The Canadian Undergraduate Computer Science Conference (CUCSC) in Windsor, Ontario. This annual conference presents undergraduates the chance to engage with the latest research, interact with industry experts and learn from their peers. George will be speaking about the future of computer science and we look forward to hearing about his trip up North!
