Forum Discussion
Renewals process - issues
Hi
Is it only me? I have tried to let Microsoft be aware of this for the last 7 years now....
Upon renewal of the partnership, the partner temporarily loses its Solution Partner status!
A status always used by customers in tenders and RFPs (the responding partner must hold x,x and x Solution Partner)
How the renewal process still affects partners +2 weeks after renewal:
- We get information on how to pay on the anniversary date - for us Saturday March 7 (payment term = 1 month)
- One can´t pay in advance before this date!
- With the information provided we initiate the payment Monday March 9, and get the verification proof from the bank on March 10.
March 10 we then provide the POE in Partner Center- Already at the anniversary day (the 9th), the "Customer Letter" we can create in Partner Center AND our Business Profile has the Solution Partner "taken away" for us, and we "don´t have the programs" that we need to provide to clients.
The business profile in Partner Locator is crucial - we link it to clients and prospects!
- Already at the anniversary day (the 9th), the "Customer Letter" we can create in Partner Center AND our Business Profile has the Solution Partner "taken away" for us, and we "don´t have the programs" that we need to provide to clients.
- Microsoft then takes until Friday March 13 to verify the payment and "enroll" us again
- So we have not had the programs for a week, and partner CAN`T hold the programs in a rolling 12M?
There´s always a glitch in the timeframe - much more problematic then Microsoft Support in India "understands".
I have pinpointed this every year for the last 7 years - nothing happens
- So we have not had the programs for a week, and partner CAN`T hold the programs in a rolling 12M?
- And - our business profile is STILL empty! +2 weeks after the renewal window started and we did the payment.
This has happened every year now - no change!
Support ticket 2603180040005878!
Gabbe_Yttermalm I connected with the team and this was their response:
Thank you for raising this concern. Microsoft recognizes the challenges some partners have faced with renewals, particularly when paying by wire transfer. Currently, renewals can only occur on the anniversary date, which in your case causes temporary lapses in Solutions Partner designation status due to payment processing delays.
To address this, Microsoft is in the process of updating the renewal window to allow renewals starting 30 days before the anniversary date, helping prevent any disruption to benefits or visibility. We’re also working to update the wire transfer process to better streamline payment approval.
In the meantime, until these updates are available using a credit card on your anniversary date is the best way to avoid interruption.
We appreciate your feedback and will continue sharing updates as these improvements roll out.
3 Replies
- JillArmourMicrosoft
Community Manager
Thank you Gabbe_Yttermalm for your feedback. I am looking for someone to share with with intenally, but to set expectations we can share the information but I cannot promise they will take action on it. ⭐
Hi JillArmourMicrosoft
Thank you - you are always on to these topics when I´ve "met" you over the years! 💯
Well - as partners have this issue every year - and it´s business critical - Microsoft really should!
But I actually had giving up this after all this years - but created this discussion anyway.
By the way - I actually got the Solution Partner achievement back into our business profile in Partner Locator today! After 3 weeks of support tickets, costing both you and partners time and aggressions ;)
Provide them with ticket 2603180040005878
And ask them to see how they solved it, and how this can be fixed so we don´t have these issues coming years :)- JillArmourMicrosoft
Gabbe_Yttermalm I connected with the team and this was their response:
Thank you for raising this concern. Microsoft recognizes the challenges some partners have faced with renewals, particularly when paying by wire transfer. Currently, renewals can only occur on the anniversary date, which in your case causes temporary lapses in Solutions Partner designation status due to payment processing delays.
To address this, Microsoft is in the process of updating the renewal window to allow renewals starting 30 days before the anniversary date, helping prevent any disruption to benefits or visibility. We’re also working to update the wire transfer process to better streamline payment approval.
In the meantime, until these updates are available using a credit card on your anniversary date is the best way to avoid interruption.
We appreciate your feedback and will continue sharing updates as these improvements roll out.
