8×8 Mobilizes Microsoft Gold Partners Around New Channel Program

8×8 is rolling out several changes to its global partner program, one of them being the 8×8 Elevate Microsoft Partner (MP) Program. Together with the 8×8 XT edition, the program enables enterprises adopting Microsoft Teams to reduce communication costs. It also improves employee productivity with a highly resilient global telephony solution, the company said. In addition, the program offers select Microsoft Gold Partners the opportunity to grow their cloud businesses.

The program leverages 8×8 Voice for Microsoft Teams, which supports more than 200,000 Teams users worldwide. The new 8×8 XT edition combines 8×8’s Direct Routing as a service technology, public switched telephone network (PSTN) connectivity, Azure-based managed SBC as a service, domestic DIDs, nationwide calling, HD Audio and secure voice all in a single package. The 8×8 XT edition is now generally available in the U.K. and the company will introduce it in the U.S. and Canada by late summer.

8×8’s Hunter Middleton

Hunter Middleton is chief product officer at 8×8.

“Communication and collaboration is key to every organization, but every team does it differently, which is why 8×8 offers highly resilient, Direct Routing as a service technology to support every employee across the enterprise,” Middleton said. “From the back-office staff to contact center agents, 8×8’s highly differentiated solutions for Microsoft Teams enable enterprises to engage with customers effortlessly while providing easy-to-use, sophisticated telephony and customer engagement capabilities globally.”

The 8×8 Partner Program: Profitability Through Incremental Services

Through the program, partners can add 8×8 Voice for Microsoft Teams to clients’ Teams implementations to enhance global communications and customer engagement. Microsoft Gold Partners selected for the program benefit from: exclusive access to sell the new 8×8 XT edition; attractive volume-based incentives and rebates; executive forums to discuss 8×8 strategy and products; and increased Microsoft partner profitability through incremental services, the company said.

Partners invited to join the 8×8 Elevate MP Program will also get the benefits available through the recently announced 8×8 Elevate Partner Program. The global channel program differentiates itself by offering multiple routes to market for partners. These includes both resale and agency, as well as offering 8×8 sales and technical certifications at no cost.

8×8’s Lisa Del Real

Lisa Del Real is global vice president channel sales at 8×8. She wrote in a blog how 8×8’s channel program intends to raise the bar.

“One of the key differentiators is the opportunity for partners to choose how they work with 8×8. Partners can transact with 8×8 as an agent or resale partner. It’s their business, their choice,” Del Real said. “And the key to success for any partner is being well-quipped to talk about the solutions in their portfolio. That’s why 8×8 provides all of our partner sales and technical certifications at no cost. We want partners to succeed, and we remove the barriers to that success.”