Services Ready FAQ

What is Services Ready?

Services Ready is a program that enables Microsoft Gold Certified Partners to build their service-delivery businesses in alignment with Microsoft service offerings. The Services Ready program transfers field-tested Microsoft Services intellectual capital, along with related training, directly to partners.

Services Ready offerings include:

• Sales and delivery content: presentations, data sheets, document templates,  tools, and project plans.
• Training directly from Microsoft consultants.
• Co-engagement with Microsoft Consulting Services on at least the first offering-based project.
• For additional information, see the Services Ready Data Sheet.

What is a Services Offering?

Services Ready Offerings are lessons learned and best practices derived from successful Microsoft Services deployments. This experience is documented by Microsoft subject matter experts and provides a foundation that partners can re-brand or extend to quickly ramp up their Microsoft practice.

What benefits does Services Ready offer?

Participation in the Services Ready Program enables partners to quickly assimilate  and leverage best practices developed by Microsoft Services during engagements. This saves you time and expense. Services Ready Partners realize:

• Faster time to market.
• Lowered opportunity cost.
• Faster deployment of highest-value consultants to customers.
• Access to sales and delivery readiness created by Microsoft Services.
• Enhanced working relationship with Microsoft Services.

What solution areas do Services offerings cover?

Services Ready offerings are available in these key areas:

• Desktop Platform
• Identity and Security
• Industry Solutions
• Portals and Collaboration
• Search
• Systems Management
• Unified Communications
• Virtualization

For more information, visit the Microsoft Services Ready Program for Partners web site or download the Services Ready Road Map. Your Services Partner Lead can provide you with details and dates when offerings will be released.

How will I be trained?

• Partners receive sales and delivery documentation developed by Microsoft subject matter experts.
• Readiness includes both sales and delivery tracks.
• On-line sales training enables sales consultants to quickly start building your pipeline.
• Instructor-led delivery training enables your key personnel to learn directly from Microsoft SMEs.
• Click the link for samples of  Delivery Training Abstracts.

Who has been successful using Services Ready offerings?

• To date, over 150 partners have  participated in the program.
• Check out the Microsoft Services Ready site for the BT Engage case study.
• Watch the video from Inframon Systems for a view of the program from a partner perspective.
• Learn how iLink leveraged Services Ready SharePoint offerings to develop a solution for ChemPoint.
• Read the article “Should you get Services Ready?” published in Redmond Channel Partner.