Adding value with Microsoft: our full perspective

Kristina and Oli recently contributed to a feature for Comms Business Magazine looking at how resellers and MSPs can add value with Microsoft, and where partners can most benefit from the Microsoft portfolio.

The published feature focused on key takeaways for the channel. What follows here is their full, unabridged perspective.

At the time of writing, Kristina and Oli were in Seattle, attending Microsoft’s Security Partner Airlift. Being close to the Microsoft ecosystem, hearing directly from product and security teams, and seeing first-hand where Microsoft is placing its bets helped shape their thinking around AI, security, CSP and the opportunities ahead for partners.

Below, are their views on why Microsoft remains so compelling for customers, where MSPs can genuinely add value, and how recent changes to the CSP programme are reshaping the channel.

Adding value with Microsoft for MSPs

Why are Microsoft based solutions compelling for businesses?

Microsoft is compelling because it gives businesses a secure, familiar and joined-up platform to operate on. Productivity, security, identity, devices, data and now AI all work together, which means organisations can simplify their tech stack instead of juggling multiple vendors.

For customers, that joined-up approach delivers stronger security, a better user experience and better overall value. And because Microsoft continues to innovate in areas like AI and cloud security, businesses benefit from ongoing improvements without disruptive changes.

For MSPs, Microsoft provides a strong, trusted foundation to build services on top of. Customers already understand and trust the platform, which makes it easier to focus conversations on outcomes and value rather than technology choices.

What Microsoft innovations are opening up doors for resellers and MSPs?

AI is the biggest shift we’re seeing. Copilot is driving real demand across organisations of all sizes, and MSPs are well placed to wrap services around deployment, optimisation, governance and user training.

Azure continues to create opportunities too, particularly around modern infrastructure, application modernisation and data services as customers look to consolidate platforms. Microsoft Fabric is a good example of this, as it has quickly become one of the fastest-growing workloads for SMBs by offering a unified approach to data management and analytics.

There is also still significant untapped value in the security capabilities within Microsoft 365 Business Premium. Tools like Defender, Intune, Conditional Access and identity management are already built in, but often underused. For MSPs, that presents a strong opportunity to deliver and monetise security services without adding unnecessary complexity.

What has been the impact of last year’s CSP changes?

The eligibility changes introduced last year represent the biggest shake-up of the CSP programme in years. Microsoft tightened the criteria across distributors, direct bill partners and indirect resellers, which has resulted in a wave of deauthorisations across the channel.

Some partners that couldn’t meet the new thresholds have had to exit CSP altogether or move to an indirect model. Others have needed to find a new distributor because their existing provider no longer met Microsoft’s requirements. For distributors leaving the programme, this has triggered everything from portfolio changes through to full business exits.

While the disruption has been real for some MSPs, it has also brought clarity. The distributors that remain are those with the scale, support capability and long-term commitment to Microsoft’s ecosystem, which ultimately gives partners a more stable foundation for growth.

We’re also seeing partners potentially impacted by the $1,000 trailing twelve-month revenue threshold for retaining CSP status. In response, we’re working closely with them on how to increase value within their existing customer base through upsell, as well as how to attract net-new customers.

At the same time, a number of direct partners are now actively considering an indirect model. This is particularly relevant where they are not PDM-managed, as they can then leverage a distributor’s relationship with Microsoft, platform capabilities and go-to-market programmes to help accelerate growth.

What do you expect to see in 2026 and beyond from Microsoft?

AI will continue to be a major focus, but with more structure around it. We expect to see clearer frameworks for Copilot governance, security and lifecycle management, which will translate directly into billable services for partners. This creates a real opportunity for MSPs to package, commoditise and monetise AI in a sustainable way.

We’re also likely to see further simplification of Microsoft’s product story, particularly around security, compliance and device management, where consolidation is already underway.

From a channel perspective, Microsoft is leaning more heavily into partner-led adoption. That means continued investment in incentives, tooling and programmes designed to help MSPs land and expand services across the Microsoft stack.

Looking ahead, it’s also possible we’ll see further tightening of CSP authorisation requirements. Microsoft will continue to challenge partners to do more, but there is a clear upside through new Solution Partner Designations and Advanced Specialisations, which help partners demonstrate and differentiate their expertise.

How we can help

At Giacom, our role is to help partners turn these kinds of platform shifts into something practical, whether that’s navigating CSP changes, building services around Copilot, or making better use of the security capabilities customers already have access to.

The conversations Kristina and Oli had in Seattle echoed what we see every day across our partner base. The opportunity with Microsoft is real, but the value comes from how well it’s implemented, governed and supported over time. That’s where partners who focus on outcomes rather than licences will continue to stand out.

Oli and Kristina at the Microsoft Security Partner Airlift in Seattle.