The Challenge

“We are essentially a team of engineers and strategic IT advisors, and with some big projects on the go, the team is time poor, and our sales and marketing function is small” said Mark Flynn, Strategic Advisor at Bedroq.

“Our focus is on providing essential IT services to highly specialist businesses, so a lot of our energy goes to ensuring we get everything just right. This means we don’t churn through masses of customers like some other providers and don’t have the scale or volumes to meet some of Microsoft’s high-quantity reseller benefit requirements.”

Critical success factors

• Up to date content and insights from Microsoft
• Confident knowledgeable presenters to share latest features and benefits
• Access to higher-level Microsoft partner benefits

“In a competitive marketplace, we needed to find a way to access those higher-level resources, knowledge and expertise, which is why we chose to work closely with Softcat.”

The Solution

“We began working with Bedroq on a Microsoft Teams project,” said Will Wallace, Softcat Microsoft Engagement specialist, “and the relationship has grown organically since then. The strength of the relationship we have built with Bedroq helps ensure we deliver the knowledge, resources and sector-specific expertise to support Bedroq’s operations in the Microsoft licensing space.”

“Softcat’s involvement enables us to access the wealth of Microsoft information available to larger partners. This ensures that when we engage with our customers, they benefit both from Bedroq’s specialist technical expertise and the strength of Softcat’s Microsoft relationship.

“We’re currently working with a client on a significant Microsoft Teams implementation and involving Softcat as our trusted partners means we can provide the best possible service. It provides us with direct access to Softcat product experts, tailored web services, shared sales tools and the extensive knowledge needed to market and deliver a range of Microsoft licensing solutions.

“Bedroq’s partnership with Softcat also provided access to the latest Microsoft partner-focused tools and opportunities that are in the pipeline. Softcat delivered demonstrations to highlight new product features and appeared as guest speakers on Bedroq’s webinar series illustrating hot topics and features of the latest Microsoft solutions.

“Being able to access these resources ensures we have the right information around pricing, product capabilities and the support services we can provide with Softcat’s backing. Fundamentally, it means we can offer our customers more and create bigger opportunities for our business.”

Solution highlights

• Close collaboration and knowledge sharing to enhance market offering
• Identification of technological developments, pipeline opportunities and hot topics
• Provide access to accurate pricing, product capabilities and support information

The Benefits

“We take the same approach with every partner we work with,” said Will. “We give them the tools and support they need to provide optimal service to their customer base. We also work proactively with resellers, keeping them fully up to date with changes in the technology landscape and new solutions or offerings that are coming on stream. We see it as a continuous process of delivering up-to-the-minute intelligence about marketplace developments and identifying opportunities that can help Bedroq and other providers expand their business offering.”

“Establishing proactive client relationships is the Softcat USP,” said Mark. “Softcat offers a comprehensive support package and is happy to offer ongoing advice and guidance around maintaining core business applications and delivering the flexible, agile solutions needed by today’s businesses. In a business like Bedroq, where our sales team is small, this proactive relationship helps to ensure that all clients are receiving an optimum level of service.

“As Bedroq launches new Microsoft solutions to the market, Softcat delivers ‘scale by proxy’ and adds weight to our offering. Whenever we collaborate with Softcat, the response is always timely, helpful and based on solid industry and product knowledge.”

Benefits at a glance

• Proactive account management
• Robust support services
• Ongoing advice and guidance around new business development opportunities

Why Softcat?

“It’s the customer-focused attitude, extensive sectoral knowledge and willingness to proactively engage with partners that sets Softcat apart from other providers,” said Mark. “In a ferociously competitive channel where cutthroat business activities are all too familiar, Softcat genuinely want to maintain a collaborative partnership. Our relationship has been built on positive interactions and superb support, it’s helping us grow the business and expand our product portfolio with confidence.”