Flagging quality of service leads people to seek out third-party Enterprise Support alternatives, but the difference between third-party and Microsoft options may appear similar or skewed in Microsoft’s favor from an outside perspective. The true difference in quality is found with a little research and industry knowledge.
Microsoft is emphatic in stating that these contractors are “vetted to the same high standards as employees and work seamlessly as part of the Microsoft delivery organization.”
However, several critical queries remain unanswered. The tech giant did not offer comments on:
These gaps in information are crucial, especially for enterprises that prioritize data security and wish to maintain transparency in their IT operations.
While Microsoft claims that these contractors are held to the same standards as other engineers, a deeper look shows that this can’t be the case. Compliance laws in the US are strict, especially around data. However, these same laws don’t technically apply to overseas contractors. While your data is under the protection of Microsoft and it’s services, now that it’s outside of the country borders there is a higher chance of a break in compliance. While this chance is incredibly small, it’s more than if the data had never left the country to begin with.
In light of Microsoft’s recent acknowledgment around their contractors, it’s recommended that organizations scrutinize their Unified Enterprise agreement plans. If there is no clause providing transparency about third-party involvement, legal professionals advise including one. Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) need to be aware of and evaluate the risks associated with foreign outsourcers, such as Tata, Wipro, or Mindtree, potentially being part of Microsoft’s Unified support team.
Third-party Microsoft Enterprise Support solutions from US Cloud are more important now than ever before due to their ability to reduce costs and resolve tickets faster.
US Cloud’s Microsoft Enterprise Support has seen a significant rise in the number of Unified Support reports. A comprehensive analysis of this data over the past year reveals a striking difference in the Time to Resolution (TTR) between the two. Here’s a breakdown:
The trends are evident. As US Cloud evolves, optimizing its operational efficiencies, it continues to outpace Microsoft Unified Support. Especially as Microsoft’s ticket load rises with the ongoing transition of customers from Premier to Unified.
It emphasizes the importance for enterprises to be vigilant about who is handling their support tickets, especially when dealing with sensitive data and mission-critical operations.
Furthermore, the performance analysis between Microsoft Unified Support and US Cloud underscores the need for enterprises to continually assess and choose the most efficient, transparent, and reliable support solutions. In this ever-evolving IT landscape, staying informed and making judicious choices are imperative for achieving operational excellence.