Microsoft lifts the lid of FY15 channel startegy

Heavy investment in cloud training on the cards, UK channel boss claims

Microsoft UK has dropped hints about its channel strategy for the coming financial year, claiming that cloud training and better marketing will be high on the agenda.

The software giant's fiscal 2014 ended yesterday and it is preparing to divulge full details of its channel plans for its FY15 at its Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC), which will be held in a fortnight in Washington DC.

But ahead of the event – which is set to attract thousands of its global partners – the vendor's UK channel boss Linda Rendleman (pictured) gave partners an idea of what she and her team have been working on for the coming 12 months.

"My team has spent the past six weeks planning for our new financial year and I'm really pleased with the line-up of resources and programmes we're designing to support you to build profitable Microsoft practices," she said in a note to partners published online.

She said that the firm is "investing heavily" in training, especially its new cloud technology such as Azure and its Yammer and Enterprise Mobility products.

Making sure resellers get their hands on more deals is another priority, Rendleman said.

"We're also working really hard to align partners to all of our customer marketing to ensure that every single customer opportunity has a partner attached [because] when we work together we win more," she said.

"We have strong investments in through-partner marketing and we're working on an exciting programme aimed at supporting you to develop new business models."

Rendleman took over the reins as Microsoft's UK channel lead at the start of this year and told CRN at the start of her tenure that visiting key partners across the UK was an important job for her.

"I have learned a lot about how we can support you, our valued partners," she said on the blog. "I remain passionate about learning what we can do differently, so am really open to your comments and feedback."