Microsoft Unified Enterprise Support

The Quality of Microsoft Unified Support Alternatives Like US Cloud.

The quality of Microsoft Unified Support alternatives like US Cloud continues to rise. Faster resolution by US domestic teams lead the way.
Published Aug 17, 2023
Robert E. LaMear IV - Founder, US CLOUD
Written by:
Rob LaMear
Quality of Microsoft Unified Support alternative US Cloud

The Quality of Microsoft Unified Support Alternatives Like US Cloud

Microsoft Unified Support offers everything your company needs to keep your software and services running smoothly. However, as prices rise and ticket response times grow alongside them, some organizations begin to wonder at the quality behind the service and if it’s worth the cost.

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.

Quality of Microsoft Unified Support alternative US Cloud

Microsoft’s Stance on Using Contractors

The Microsoft Unified Support sales team has provided a written acknowledgment several times concerning their service delivery strategy. Instead of relying solely on full-time Microsoft employees, they continue to engage contractors to deliver services.

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:

  • The satisfaction ratings of these contractors.
  • The experience levels of foreign national contractors handling Unified support tickets.
  • Any potential compliance risks associated with these foreign national contractors.
  • Whether enterprise customers are informed about the shift from a Microsoft employee to a v-dash contractor.
  • The possibility for enterprises to choose against foreign v-dash contractors for sensitive tickets.

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.

The Implications for Enterprise Agreements

US Cloud mandates that their Microsoft Enterprise Support contracts clearly name their technology partners. This policy assists enterprise security teams in verifying US Cloud partners, ensuring an added layer of safety during the vendor verification process.

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.

Comparing Support Efficiency: Microsoft Unified Support vs. US Cloud

With many enterprises exploring alternatives to Microsoft Unified Support, either to enhance support quality or decrease expenses, the comparative performance analysis between Microsoft Unified Support and US Cloud has gained significance.

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:

  • Low severity tickets: US Cloud’s resolution time is a remarkable 152% faster than Microsoft Unified Support.
  • Medium severity tickets: US Cloud leads with a 47% faster resolution rate.
  • High severity tickets: Though closer in comparison, US Cloud still manages to be 8% quicker.

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.

Turning to Microsoft Unified Support Alternatives

Microsoft’s acknowledgment about their use of contractors has shed light on a critical aspect of their service delivery model.

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.

Robert E. LaMear IV - Founder, US CLOUD
Rob LaMear
Rob LaMear revolutionized the tech industry by being the pioneer who first offered SharePoint Portal Server 2001 as a cloud-hosted service. His close collaboration with Microsoft was instrumental in sharing multi-tenant expertise, paving the way for the development of SharePoint Online. Today, Rob's company, US Cloud, stands out as the only third-party support provider recognized by Gartner as fully capable of replacing Microsoft Unified (formerly Premier) support. His unwavering commitment to innovation and excellence ensures that US Cloud remains a trusted partner for enterprises globally, consistently delivering world-class support to organizations reliant on Microsoft software.
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