In July, Microsoft brought together it’s partner organizations from all over the world at Inspire 2017, its annual global partner conference held in Washington, D.C. Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella and other executives unveiled a plethora of new partner programs that will begin to go into effect. Here are four big Microsoft focuses from Inspire that will have the biggest impact on mid–market businesses.

1. Emphasis on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT): Microsoft shows that it is looking to lead, not follow, with innovative technologies. Artificial intelligence and Internet of Things are the next evolving technology that has potential to significantly impact the way we live and work. Microsoft is helping pave the way with AI and IoT by focusing on developing their capabilities within Azure, like Bot Framework, which integrates chatbots, Azure Machine Learning, as well as the newly-debuted Azure IoT Edge service. If you think AI is still far too radical for your mid-size organization, think again! Research shows that even well-established companies are starting to act more like startups by exploring how emerging technologies like AI and machine learning can transform their business
2. Microsoft 365: Microsoft 365 was unveiled on the first day of Microsoft Inspire. In our last blog, we talked a lot what this re-bundling of services really means for your mid-market business. This move by Microsoft represents a significant step towards the greater goal of workforce transformation by bringing all the necessary technology into a single offering. Organizations can simplify the way they purchase, license, and manage multiple services within one product. This ultimately allows businesses to focus on what they do best while letting the technology continue to optimize collaboration and innovation in a secure manner.
3. Always Keep Evolving – Even When You’re on Top: Microsoft is experiencing success and strong growth, especially around Azure and its other cloud offerings. They could easily choose to ride this wave with a few adjustments, but they chose to make some major changes within their organization. This is unquestionably the largest change I have personally seen from a vendor while experiencing this type of success. Microsoft is not introducing these changes out of desperation; they’re doing it because they’re future-focused and have a vision for where technology is headed. Microsoft isn’t complacent – they see the future and they want to lead the way. All organizations can learn from this; continuous innovation is the new business strategy.
4. Focus on Customer Success: Microsoft is stressing the point that their success depends on their customer’s success – words that we live by at BDO Digital as well. To support this ideal, Microsoft will be providing even more resources to partner organizations, like cloud and data solution architects that can be leveraged to help customers get the most out of cloud solutions. As a result, BDO Digital's partner clients can build long-lasting relationships focused on solving individual challenges with customized solutions.

If you’re interested in learning more about what technology investments will have the greatest impact on achieving rapid results and providing the biggest opportunities for long-term success, contact us to discuss your current needs and best options.