2024 US Cloud Support Executive Summary.

Hundreds of savvy enterprises will leave Microsoft in 2024 for the alternative, third-party support leader, US Cloud. The 2x faster resolution time and 30-50% savings on MS Premier/Unified are compelling but there are additional reasons to shift your support system from Microsoft to US Cloud.

Be prepared for Microsoft sales teams to use agressive fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD) tactics to delay your Premier/Unified Support negotiations once they know you are considering an alternative. All the major IT research and analysts firms cover US Cloud and can deliver reports and peer reviews for unbiased feedback. Proof of Concept trials are available to validate support capabilities as a total replacement for Unified Enterprise.

US Cloud is the only Gartner-recognized independent third-party Microsoft Premier/Unified support replacement in the world.

We have been fully focused on providing alternative Microsoft Support services since 2017 but have over 20 years of in-depth Microsoft managed services experience as a Microsoft Certified Gold Partner and Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP). Our credo of “Faster Microsoft Support for Less” isn’t just for show, it’s a promise backed by live data streamed to our customers’ support portals and our website home page.

Currently supporting over 400 clients, we service Fortune 500 companies, complex multi-national Global 2000 organizations, small and medium enterprises, and other businesses across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Our services typically save enterprises 30-50% on their support bill in the first year alone. We also support the full Microsoft stack for all ticket severities. We believe responsiveness is so important that all clients receive 15-minute initial response times to any ticket submission 24/7/365 with financially-backed Service Level Agreements (SLA) guaranteeing service delivery quality each and every month.

US Cloud Support Services cover all Microsoft business and enterprise software and cloud services in all time zones across the globe.

After taking a look at the Premier and Unified models, we decided to simplify Microsoft support while scaling it up. For starters, we provide 24/7 break-fix support for all Microsoft products, proactive Microsoft support services, Dedicated Support Engineers (DSEs), Technical Account Managers (TAMs), and dedicated Client Success teams.

We offer guaranteed 15-minute initial response times with financially backed SLAs so you can be sure that you’re getting the service you deserve. We utilize a fully domestic US engineering team so you never have to work with an offshore resource, or wonder if your sensitive data has left the country. Our Senior Premier Support Engineers are staffed around the clock so you have an answer to a critical question when you need it most.

80% of all tickets submitted are resolved in-house, with the remaining 20% being completed through out elite partner network or escalated to Microsoft for bug or tenant issues. US Cloud manages all escalations on behalf of our clients so they can focus on strategic projects that drive growth in their enterprise.

How can US Cloud compete with Microsoft on supporting their own products?

Independent third-party support has existed for other enterprise software platforms for years. Rimini Street started offering Oracle/SAP support in 2005 while Origina started to offer support for IBM in 2012. You can picture US Cloud as offering something similar, though for the full scope of Microsoft products and services. Our business model is simple: buy only the Microsoft support hours your enterprise actually needs. We’ve been keeping Microsoft Support clients of all sizes happy for years now and don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

Is US Cloud a Microsoft Partner?

In 2019, US Cloud became fully independent to focus on competing with Microsoft to deliver support of equal or greater caliber at a more reasonable price. Our highly-focused, low-overhead operations was rebuilt from the ground up in 2017 to deliver high-quality Microsoft support services worldwide. Our Elite MSP Network consists of the top 1% of certified Microsoft Partners.

Can US Cloud escalate tickets to Microsoft?

Yes, accounting for 10-20% of all tickets, we escalate tickets to Microsoft through our Elite MSP Network of Microsoft partners with priority routing and direct access to product teams.

How many engineers does US Cloud have?

US Cloud Support provides access to over 350 Microsoft certified L2 to L4 engineers that have an average of 14.5 years of Microsoft product line experience each.

Will I lose access to DSE’s and project support that I have through Microsoft?

Not necessarily. In some cases you can keep a Microsoft DSE to complete a project while transitioning to US Cloud for support. In the end, most clients move to US Cloud DSEs for the economic and operational efficiency gains. US Cloud has DSE’s that specialize in all mission-critical Microsoft technologies.

Is switching to US Cloud risky business?

US Cloud has never had a security breach since our inception, which can’t be said for Microsoft Premier (now Unified) Support. We keep all sensitive client data encrypted both in motion and at rest. Our data handling security measures were created out of necessity for US Federal clients and have been standardized across the business to ensure all customers receive the same degree of security and compliance. Workforce and data sovereignty are core tenants of US Cloud with all US domestic engineers and no support data stored outside the US.

Will switching to US Cloud hurt my relationship with Microsoft?

None of our clients, past or present, have reported any problems with their Microsoft relationship or with the Microsoft product sales teams, once they’ve transitioned to US Cloud Support. At Microsoft, EA sales and Unified sales team are separate. So while the Unified team may not be thrilled you have moved to US Cloud for faster, more economical support, the EA process will be streamlined without the support distraction.

How are open tickets with Microsoft handled if I switch to US Cloud?

Our comprehensive onboarding process is handled by your TAM and Client Success Team, which includes ingestion planning for any outstanding Microsoft PRS tickets or engineering engagements. Most new US Cloud Support clients cut over all their open Microsoft tickets within 2-4 business days after onboarding, resulting in a seamless transition for your enterprise users, stakeholders, and IT team.