Thinking about moving your organisation to a different Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) partner, or perhaps starting a fresh partnership? You’re certainly not alone.

If your Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider is slow to respond, reactive by default, or driving cost without clear value, it’s natural to start considering a change.For many organisations, switching CSP partners feels like a risk. In reality, Microsoft’s CSP framework is designed to allow change without disruption when the process is handled correctly.

In this third instalment of our CSP series, building on 5 things your Microsoft CSP should be doing quarterly and The hidden cost of reactive CSPs, we focus on what actually happens when you decide to switch and how to do it without disrupting your existing services.

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First of all, what is a Microsoft CSP Partner? 

A Microsoft CSP partner is a reseller authorised to sell Microsoft cloud services, such as Azure, Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365 and provide ongoing management and support. The CSP partner handles billing, licensing and first line support on your behalf, with escalation paths into Microsoft with guaranteed SLAs. 

Choosing the right partner can make a significant difference to leveraging maximum return on your Microsoft investment by looking beyond a transactional relationship to a supported partnership.  

There are 2 tiers of CSP partner

Direct – the Partner owns the relationship with you, has more flexibility on pricing and the internal infrastructure and operational capability to manage the end–to–end customer relationship for provisioning, invoicing and supporting customers. Version 1 is a Direct CSP Partner. 

Indirect – essentially Partners that resell through a distribution layer and not directly with Microsoft. 

Why transfer to a new CSP Partner? 

Organisations transfer CSP partners for a variety of reasons:  

  • poor response times
  • lack of specialist knowledge 
  • uncompetitive pricing  
  • looking for a more proactive partner

Whatever the reason, Microsoft’s CSP Partner framework allows transfers without disrupting your existing licenses or services. 

Step 1: Establish a relationship 

Before initiating any transfer, it is important the relationship is established between you and the partner and both parties have done their due diligence to ensure alignment is suitable. For the new partner, this is the opportunity to assess the current estate and review how licensing and subscriptions may be right-sized and optimised as a structured roadmap and plan.

Step 2: Understand the process 

The transfer process itself is straightforward, but it is important that you agree the steps with your new partner, with expectations, timelines and actions required of all parties. 

We always recommend that you, along with the existing partner and new partner have a call to discuss the process and ensure everyone agrees with their roles and responsibilities, a date of transfer is confirmed; and that you are kept fully informed at all times. 

Step 3: The transfer process 

  • The customer and new partner create a reseller relationship, initiated by an approval link sent to the customer to confirm.
  • Then Granular Delegated Admin Permissions are confirmed to allow the new partner to perform roles associated with administrating the account; these include (but not exclusively) billing administrator, support administrator and licensing administrator. 
  • The new partner sends a transfer request to the existing partner via an automated form in the Microsoft Partner Centre.
  • Transfers can include Azure, end user subscriptions (Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365) and Server subscriptions (Windows and SQL).
  • Upon transfer, the new partner assumes all billing and support responsibility.
  • You are still responsible for ensuring invoices up to the date of transfer are paid to the previous partner.
  • The new partner then ensures the previous partner’s admin access is removed from the tenant for security and governance.

What to know before switching Microsoft CSP partners 

Transferring your Microsoft CSP partner is a non-disruptive and seamless process when handled correctly. No data or current configurations are affected and there is no downtime to any operations or business processes. 

The key is choosing a partner who adds genuine value and taking the time to plan the transition carefully.  

With the right support, lines of communication and due care and attention to detail, the switch can be completed in a matter of minutes. 

As a Direct CSP Partner and Azure Expert Managed Service Provider, our dedicated team of Microsoft licensing experts is here to guide you through every stage of your CSP transfer. We provide the knowledge and support needed to ensure your transition is seamless, well-planned and expertly managed. 2

Beyond the transfer itself, we offer ongoing assistance and service to help you reduce your total cost of ownership and unlock the full potential of your Microsoft investment. Our expertise enables you to maximise business value and make the most of your technology solutions. 

Contact us today to find out how.  

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