intY’s Trusted Advisor model is no longer available from 30th August 2024 – here are your options

As intY joined forces with Giacom late last year, we’ve began making strides to fully integrate our offering and focus on an entirely channel-centric approach. 

As part of this integration, we’ve made the decision to remove our Trusted Advisor model from the 30th August 2024 and keep our Expert Partner model only.  

You now need to make the decision on how you wish to continue servicing your customer(s). 

If you’re not entirely sure what these models mean to you, here are the definitions for each: 

  • Expert Partner (EP) = This model is if you sell to, support and bill your customers directly for the services you purchase through intY. 
  • Trusted Advisor (TA) = This model is if intY bills your customers on your behalf and you get paid a commission. 

What does this mean for you? 

You now need to make the decision that best suits your needs. We’ve outlined the options below, depending on how you currently transact with us – choose the one that is most relevant to you. 

If you currently transact through both our Expert Partner (EP) and Trusted Advisor (TA) models, your TA services will need to be moved over to your EP account  before 30th August 2024.  
 

We’ll do the move for you, but we require confirmation from you on which customer(s) you’d like us to move and any changes needed to their services.  

Here are the next steps for you to take:  

  • Step 1: Reach out to your customer(s) to make them aware of this change. We’ll be contacting them about this change from mid-July and advising them that you’ll be in touch. Please see a copy of this customer communication here
  • Step 2: Agree with your customer(s) that you’ll take on their services and confirm that they’re happy to move.  
  • Step 3: Contact your account manager who’ll work with you to complete a form that gives a summary of the changes you are requesting.  
  • Step 4: Once completed, our team will send this form back to you for final review and approval.  
  • Step 5: Our team will then complete the move for you.  

Important: From the date your customer(s) have been moved, you’ll be responsible for invoicing them directly. Your customers’ services will continue until their subscription renewal date and they will need to continue to pay for these services until that date. If your customer(s) do not pay – you will be liable to cover these costs under your terms of agreement.

Here are things you should consider checking ahead of this move: 

  • Ensure your Microsoft Partner Network (MPN) and Cloud Solutions Provider (CSP) registration with Microsoft is active. You can check this by signing into Microsoft Partner Center here >> https://partner.microsoft.com/en-GB/   
  • Check your MPN number is correct within your CASCADE Expert Partner account.  
  • Ensure your payment details are correct within your CASCADE Expert Partner account.  
  • Your customer(s) may need to sign Microsoft Customer Agreements (MCAs), if they haven’t done so recently.  
  • From the next billing date of the service, we’ll bill you directly and not your customer(s).  

Check the ‘helpful information’ section below for further updates about this change.

  

This is great news! Here’s what you need to do: 

  • Contact your account manager who’ll walk you through how to set up an Expert Partner account in CASCADE and start your onboarding process. 
  • Then you need to complete the same steps as above.

If your concern is providing billing or first-line support, we may have a service that interests you. Giacom’s Managed Wholesale includes a billing platform for partners and, shortly, an optional end-user support add-on. More details on this service are coming soon but get in touch if you’d like to hear more. 

If moving to an EP model doesn’t interest you, then we can help you find your customer(s) a new home. All you need to do is complete this form and a member of our team will be in touch. 

Important information: your customers’ services will continue until their subscription renewal date and they will need to continue to pay for these services until that date. If your customer(s) do not pay – you will be liable to cover these costs under your terms of agreement. 

We’ll be contacting your customer(s) directly about this update and letting them know that you’ll be in touch. 

If we haven’t heard from you before 30th August 2024, we will terminate the services at the next renewal date. Your customer(s) details will then be made available to other MSPs in our network so they have the opportunity to continue servicing them. 

Important information: your customers’ services will continue until their subscription renewal date and they will need to continue to pay for these services until that date. If your customer(s) do not pay – you will be liable to cover these costs under your agreement terms. 

Helpful information

Here’s some further details you need to know about this update:

  • As announced in early June, we’re in the process of transitioning all partners from CASCADE to Giacom’s Cloud Market. Once your services have moved to an Expert Partner account, we’ll schedule your transition to the new platform and keep you updated on the details.  
  • Once you move from a Trusted Advisor to an Expert Partner account, you’ll stop receiving commission and instead will be able to make margin on the services you sell.  
  • When moving from a Trusted Advisor to an Expert Partner account, there will be a price increase for customers on legacy Microsoft Syndication SKUs as these will need to be moved to the equivalent new commerce experience (NCE) SKU on monthly commitment/monthly bill terms. However, once you migrate them to your EP account, you’re able to immediately change them to annual commitments with either annual or monthly billing frequency, as required.  
  • If you need a billing solution, we offer something called Giacom Managed Wholesale which could help you. This includes a billing platform and optional end user support. More information on this coming soon but do get in touch with us if you’d like to hear more.

Got questions that aren’t covered here?
Get in touch, we’d love to hear from you.  

Please reach out to your account manager if you have any questions. 

If you don’t have an account manager, or if you’re unsure who your account manager is, give us a call on 01454 640 500 or email [email protected] to get in touch.