'An absolute game changer for the channel': AvePoint's Chris Shaw on wide Copilot rollout

Microsoft Copilot is now available to all type of business, how will this rollout changing the channel strategy?

Copilot isn't just conversation starter with clients, but "an absolute game-changer that's very real now after Microsoft's recent announcement making it available more widely", Chris Shaw, UK and SA country channel manager at AvePoint, tells CRN.

But he warns: "Organisations need a certain level of control and preparation to make the most of Copilot and justify/understand use cases. It can do everything so you must be specific on intended goals and what adoption actually means for your business."

He says customers must understand the use cases to decide how they will harness Copilot and show real gains.

"These are still broad questions for organisations to answer - it's not negative but customers must understand what they want to achieve. Then we can help ready them and align copilot to streamline those goals."

Microsoft Copilot for M365 has recently been made available to organisations of every size causing widespread excitement across the channel.

Microsoft removed minimum license spend requirements and opened Copilot up to all partner sizes.

Preparing customers

When asked about how partners can prepare customers to use Copilot, Shaw explains that AvePoint offers a software licensing bundle.

The company offers Policies and Insights modules for visibility and then setting access controls and policies to enforce intended data governance.

"But we also offer higher-touch consulting blending technology like Compliance Guardian with partners analysing customers' wants from their data to tailor environments and managed services that trim obsolete data and optimise ROI.

"Flexibility to meet customers' needs."

He says that when it comes to data preparation, however, no one size fits all.

"It depends on industry and use case variabilities. But properly classifying data types, ensuring regulatory compliance, implementing access governance, and understanding data relevancy versus what's trivial/obsolete establishes a foundation for Copilot to then build on top of."

Shaw also touches on how partners can navigate the risks that come with the Copilot widespread adoption.

"There's a grey area regarding whether Microsoft or the customer is responsible if Copilot shares information it shouldn't," he says.

"To avoid outcomes like confidential data leakage, partners can provide technologies and services to classify data, set security parameters, and implement governance controls according to industry regulations."

He says Copilot's power means tight parameters must be set and human checks retained before the AI shares information externally.

Shaw argues that the software rollout does not require much upskilling.

"But consulting services around readiness assessments, managed services, and data analysis require deeper expertise in data management, security, governance, etc.

"Significant opportunity exists to specialise here as adoption grows over the next six months regarding understanding data types, controls customers need, and tailoring to different industries."

Measuring results will also key to understanding whether this technology is providing return on investment and so Shaw explains that when tracking results outcomes must be specific.

"E.g. ‘return two hours/day to my CEO' is tangible but ‘increase productivity' isn't.

"Understand customer needs and intended uses - compare prospecting efficiency gains for sales teams versus decluttering executives' calendars with Copilot.

"Quantify the actual difference made according to those predefined goals."

A changing world

Moving forward, Shaw argues that some partners will struggle while those embracing Copilot will thrive.

"Multifaceted expertise is key - standalone buys bring little value but guiding customers on integrated outcomes across security, compliance, storage etc. does.

"Partners must properly qualify opportunities and construct clear messages showing how Microsoft technologies combine to achieve intended goals."

He hopes to see a collective realisation that governance and compliance tools are essential foundations for Copilot - not an afterthought.

"We've co-led this message locally with Microsoft but need the wider channel ecosystem reinforcing complementary technologies that establish data controls then allow Copilot to maximise value."