Avanade CEO flags five most interesting Microsoft developments

Adam Warby reveals to CRN the Microsoft offerings he is placing his bets on

As well as specialising solely in Microsoft technology, global consultancy Avanade is also part-owned by the software giant.

Its fortunes are also inextricably tied to that of its partner, which is enjoying a renaissance under CEO Satya Nadella (even if the vendor has been criticised for cutting out the channel in recent months).

Having headed up Avanade since 2008, Adam Warby has a unique vantage point of the largest opportunities that lie ahead for the Microsoft channel.

CRN spoke to the CEO (pictured) to get his five big bets on the Microsoft technology that will pay off for partners in the coming months.

1. Large-scale cloud transformation

Unsurprisingly, the cloud was on the tip of Warby's tongue as his first pick, but he elaborated that it was the continuing combination of cloud and the evolving services surrounding it that makes it his top choice.

"I think the word ‘services' is going to become central to everything here," he said.

"On one level you have a cloud service, which is not really a product; it's an ongoing service that changes.

"This convergence of a pure technology company that is providing a cloud service and us, who are providing professional services - that is what we are trying to bring together to create great digital experiences for our customers."

2. Artificial intelligence and data

The proliferation of data not only enables Avanade to experiment with chatbots but also to analyse employee behaviour in order to allow bosses to figure out how best to utilise their productivity.

"We are currently doing some interesting work on using data around employee experience," Warby explained.

"Rather than having to guess what it is employees are thinking and feeling, we have data to analyse that.

"For example, we did a study with Microsoft around salesforce productivity. It measured the amount of time salespeople spent with clients and how much time they spent with their internal network.

"You would assume that those who spent the most time with clients would be the most successful, but the biggest indicator of success for this particular sales team was their internal network, ie how much knowledge and solutions they could bring to the client. You don't go and ask your salesforce that because they'll just give you their opinions. This is data."

3. Employee experience

Workers now have a cornucopia of tools at their disposal to enhance their work life and make collaboration easier.

"We live in a virtual world where employees use Skype, Sharepoint, Teams or whatever other versions of Microsoft technology are out there," noted the CEO.

"These bring that digital employee experience to life and there is an ecosystem of partners that go around that as well."

4. Client experience

Microsoft technology has aided Avanade in boosting interaction in the client and customer relationship, according to Warby, who explained a recent example involving its client, a Canadian retail outlet.

"We helped build the latest version of its app with a loyalty programme, which is the first time they've been able to launch an online loyalty app," he said.

"We all assume that these things are seen dancing, but there's still lots of work to do to get things to work properly."

5. New devices

Microsoft's collection of new and upcoming devices shouldn't be underestimated or forgotten about among all the talk about cloud and services, added the chief exec, who pointed out that the Surface Hub 2 whiteboard is being used in the company's London office.

"That whole area of new devices and new experiences continues to be exciting," he said. "This idea that the digital and physical world still have to come together."