ThinkGrid challenges Microsoft in the cloud

David Pratt: if I was a reseller I would be uncomfortable handing that relationship

Cloud services specialist ThinkGrid has issued a war-cry to Microsoft as it unveiled a partner programme offering resellers up to 30 per cent margin.

Under the three-tier programme, partners can either resell or white-label ThinkGrid’s cloud services, which include hosted virtual desktop, Exchange, voice over IP, SaaS, storage and server infrastructure.

ThinkGrid’s Platinum, Gold and Silver partners will net 30, 20 and 10 points margin respectively.

ThinkGrid chief operating officer David Pratt, said the UK-based firm offers “significantly” better margins than Microsoft’s Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS) cloud computing offering.

He also argued that BPOS has allowed Microsoft to bypass its channel.

“Although BPOS is being positioned as a way for the channel to engage with Microsoft, if I was a reseller I would be uncomfortable handing that relationship
to Microsoft,” he added.

“At ThinkGrid we want them to own that relationship and take advantage of good ongoing margin.”

Shane Taylor, chief executive of ThinkGrid partner, Esselar, said: “Even though Microsoft now offers cloud-based services, it does a lot of other stuff. This is all ThinkGrid do, and its infrastructure has been built from the ground up to be delivered as a service.”

Clare Barclay, director of partner strategy and programmes at Microsoft UK, revealed that Microsoft had recruited 700 UK BPOS partners since its launch
last year.

“We feel that Microsoft getting into [the cloud computing] game allows partners
to offer these services to customers and that overall, with our partners, we are growing this opportunity,” she said.