Net Customer Adds - encouraging the wrong culture?

Hi OzOscroft​, I completely understand your frustration.

Everything you’ve described around skilling, deployment and usage is exactly what the Modern Work (SMB) designation is supposed to recognise, and it sounds like you’re delivering strong customer value. In that sense, you’re doing it the right way.

Net Customer Adds sits within the Performance pillar and Microsoft sees it as evidence that a partner can replicate that same value for new customers, not just deepen value within an existing base. Strategically, I understand the logic. However, for partners focused on growth and long-term adoption within their current clients, it can feel misaligned with the realities of an SMB services-led model.

You are definitely not alone. I am hearing similar feedback from other SMB-focused partners. Hopefully this is something Microsoft continues to review, as customer impact and adoption should carry just as much weight as net-new growth.