7 Reasons to Buy Microsoft 365 From A Microsoft Partner

DragonTech IT Services, Inc joined the Microsoft CSP Partner Program in 2019 as a CSP indirect Reseller. Over the years, we have seen the benefits this brings to our customers, and it has reinforced why we joined the program in the first place. We wanted to provide our customers with a comprehensive, managed Microsoft cloud experience and CSP enables us to do just that.

What is the Microsoft CSP program?

CSP stands for “Cloud Solution Provider.” The CSP program enables partners, like DragonTech IT Services, to sell Microsoft’s cloud services to its customers. However, it is much more than just simply a licensing program! The CSP model is designed for the partner to add value to its customers’ cloud experience via support, management, billing flexibility and consulting. With this program, a customer effectively has pay-as-you-go consumption arrangement via the partner, rather than directly with Microsoft.

CSP key customer benefits

There are numerous benefits to this model, but we see the following 7 reasons to buy Microsoft 365 from a Microsoft Partner:

  1. Flexibility & Control:
    Many Microsoft 365 licensing options are not readily available or understandable to the average business owner. On their website, Microsoft lists Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Business Standard, and Business Premium, but do you know which license is right for which users? What if you none of those meet your needs? A CSP can not only answer these questions for you, but we can also provide licensing options that are not available to the general public.
  2. Monthly Billing:
    Along with the flexibility of licensing types, using a CSP allows you to pay monthly only for the licenses you need that month, with the same discounts that you would get from Microsoft by paying annually. We can change your licensing needs as required.
  3. Local Support:
    As your Cloud Solutions Provider and Managed Services Provider, DragonTech IT Services is your single point of contact for all of your technical support needs, including problems with Microsoft 365, Azure, and Windows Virtual Desktop services. As a Microsoft Partner, we are trained and certified to support you on all services we offer. And as a small business ourselves, we understand what you need for IT support better than a faceless corporation.
  4. Licensing Support & Training:
    You can have one partner looking after all your Microsoft cloud licenses and drawing on their expertise and skills to enable you to maximize the benefits of your investment. We are also able to provide end-user training sessions to help your business run more efficiently with a better trained staff!
  1. Added Services:
    Choosing to work with a Microsoft Partner also allows that partner to protect your Microsoft 365 or Azure environment with additional services that you may not even realize are necessary! For example, the data stored in Microsoft 365 Exchange, OneDrive, and SharePoint are not protected from deletion or ransomware by default. A CSP can provide additional backup & recovery services to protect your SaaS data. In fact, Microsoft recommends this! DragonTech not only offers backup & disaster recovery services for on-site and cloud environments, but also email protection and cybersecurity training to your employees.
  1. Strong SLAs:
    By procuring through a Microsoft CSP, you will be gaining access to Microsoft’s strong service level agreement which defines the crucial aspects of the service like responsibility, quality and availability between the service provider and the customer

FAQs

Will I still maintain Admin Control?

  • Yes, you can still have full admin control over your Microsoft 365 tenant and Azure subscriptions.

Can I migrate existing Azure Services to CSP Azure?

  • Yes, we will first need to undertake a review of your environment to understand if there are areas that will not easily move e.g. Backup Vaults and Express Route. We then schedule some engineering time to move you to the new subscription. This would all aim to be done without loss of service. We would obviously discuss options for items that are not so easily moved between Azure subscriptions.

Who will invoice me?

  • DragonTech IT Services will invoice you monthly. We get invoiced indirectly from Microsoft on a monthly basis for all the CSP spend attributable to our customers. We just take this data and generate an invoice for your specific spend.

Do I need to sign any agreements?

  • Yes, you will need to sign our cloud service agreement, which in turn means you are agreeing to Microsoft’s cloud agreement.

Can I see billing information in Azure ARM portal?

  • No, as a CSP customer this area will not be accessible. Some billing information is available via a separate portal.

Can I change CSP provider?

  • Yes, you are free to transfer to any other provider of your choice, but we hope the other services DragonTech IT Services are offering and delivering are a good reason to stay.

Can I leave CSP?

  • Yes, as it is a monthly subscription you can enter in any month of the calendar year and stop at any time. Remember, CSP gives you the flexibility to alter your subscription, in numbers and services, per month. However, if you choose to leave, remember that billing becomes your responsibility; if you do not make arrangements with Microsoft, you could lose your tenant and your data.

Will access to my tenancy or subscription be terminated if I do not pay my bill?

  • Unfortunately, yes. If your business is struggling with cash flow, arrangements can occasionally be made, but ultimately you are still paying for a subscription-based service. We follow normal processes to retrieve the money for services provided, but we are within our rights to terminate if your invoices are not being paid in a timely manner.

How do I sign up?

Easily! Just reach out to us by phone, email, or through our contact form, and we will be glad to get you started!