To help our customers thrive in the complex world of Microsoft’s software ecosystem, we, as their Microsoft partners, must show up and serve them every day. This continual support of our customers, through their entire Microsoft agreement, is at the core of our Microsoft Concierge (MC) Practice at Connection.
My role was born in Connection’s Microsoft COE, as our Microsoft Landscape Optimization (MLO) program was thriving in the marketplace. The designers of our MLO program realized that, as a customer service organization, it’s important for us to support our customers through their entire software lifecycle. I am one of the first MCs, hired back in 2013, for the enterprise side of the company. Since then, the MC role has changed a lot. I can proudly say that I have helped our MC practice grow to a place of core strength in the marketplace.
Understand the Latest Changes to Microsoft Licensing
There is no other practice, among other LSPs, like our MC Practice at Connection. The MC role is fluid and changes as quickly as the Microsoft environment and software. As a result, and we adapt quickly to our client’s needs and the changing landscape.
We are educators and enablers when it comes to the utilization of the Software Assurance benefits. As Jennifer Gibson-Krautz, another MC, mentioned in her blog post: “As a Microsoft Concierge at Connection, I talk to Microsoft customers quite regularly regarding their Software Assurance benefits. It is my responsibility to make sure that these benefits are being utilized to their fullest potential.”
Maximize the Value of Your Investment
We are a trusted advisor on how to manage licenses and navigate an admin portal. The work we do around portal support has become more important nowadays, since the complexity of Microsoft products continues to grow with cloud transformation. And with cloud adoption, there are many portal changes that the customer needs to be aware of, and, in turn, requires help with downloading and assigning perpetual licenses to users. Our MCs have to learn new portals on the fly. Then we must understand the portals from a client standpoint and see, first-hand, how clients may run into glitches. We are warriors of the portals—the more Enterprise clients we help, the better our grasp of best practices and directives which we can use to support our teams.
We are liaisons between our clients and Microsoft account teams. Since we work in the world of Microsoft all day long, we also know who to go to for what—saving the client time and energy to find support. Additionally, we help our clients understand Microsoft and all the crazy rules they have for each software buying option.
I love that I work so closely with a lot of IT or procurement folks, and that I can help build strong relationships with them and with their Microsoft account teams. My MC role allows me to work hand-in-hand with all of them to ensure customer success!
To learn more about the Microsoft Concierge Practice at Connection, check out our Microsoft Licensing Optimization page.
Natalia Palazzolo
Natalia Palazzolo is a Microsoft Concierge at Connection Enterprise with more than 12 years of experience in Microsoft products and services. In her spare time, Natalie enjoys swimming, playing with her dogs, and riding her motorcycle.
