from Unknown for to being Known for - Insight's journey to Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards

When Microsoft Singapore Partners’ Star Awards announced the winner for 2015 Microsoft Cloud Productivity Partner of the Year,

it was just the start of a multi-year winning streak for Insight Technology Solutions Pte Ltd.

I'd known Vijay Haridas while I was working at Microsoft Singapore since 2008. He'd established himself as a savvy presales manager and is highly regarded within the channel.

&

I'd known Software Spectrum from the late 1990's till they were acquired by Insight, a well-known Licensing Solution Partner (LSP) in Singapore delivering Software Asset Management solutions at that time.

Challenge? Insight wasn't known in Singapore for systems integration or implementing technology solutions beyond software asset management of software licensing

Vijay reached out mid 2014 to ask how he'd be able to create a new cloud business from scratch building a solutions practice in the crowded Office 365 channel, however we needed Azure partners and I'd thought it would be a good way to differentiate his service offerings.

When he joined Insight as their first Solution Manager responsible for growing a new revenue stream from professional services, I realized just how monumental a task he'd taken up.

the ODDS were STACKED against INSIGHT

We discussed how Insight could create awareness & change perception within Microsoft to gain credibility among our sellers who were skeptical of any LSP competing for a piece of the services business much less deploying Microsoft cloud solutions then.

Vijay UNLEASHED a brand marketing ONSLAUGHT

2 things he did ..

#1 quote to win cloud projects with higher difficulty that most local partners had less experience deploying & risks demanded a premium in their proposals with a conservative delivery timeframe.

#2 share WinWires to notify us of each successful customer implementation consistently with a twist... each update included a pdf logo collection of every win in the year to remind Microsoft sellers he was keeping score of Insight's cloud deals like a fighter pilot paints a flag for each confirmed win.

just like an air ACE each win logo was a BADGE of SUCCESS

Sure there's a whole lot more to what had to be done overcoming the challenges but here's what's impressive

Insight continues this practice Vijay started almost 10 years ago, since 2014, attaching a pdf collection of all their YTD wins in every new WinWire announcement... FAITHFULLY

Awards | Insight Singapore

2015 Microsoft Cloud Productivity Partner of the Year (Singapore)

2016 Microsoft Cloud Productivity Partner of the Year (Singapore)

2017 Partner Seller Recognition (Technical)?- Mr. Vijayan Haridas (Singapore)

2018 Microsoft Partner of the Year - Security + Compliance (Singapore)

2018 Microsoft Partner of the Year - Modern Workplace (Singapore)

2019 Microsoft Security and Compliance Partner of the Year (Singapore)

for over a decade, Insight in Singapore is trusted by Microsoft & known for implementing Microsoft cloud solutions successfully

This is not my endorsement of a partner, rather this is my view of the journey Vijayan Haridas | LinkedIn took his team & his organization to victory. This uncommon success, his drive & persistence left a strong legacy among the many people at the Insight Singapore team who delivered this outstanding & sustained performance while he worked with them. It's my personal opinion that he left an indelible mark on the people in the channel that continue to aspire to the high bar he had set years ago.

It's a story worth repeating and a decade in the making

This post is made while I'm a Microsoft employee and the opinions and views expressed here are those of my own and does not necessarily state or reflect those of Microsoft Singapore, Microsoft ASEAN, Microsoft Asia or Microsoft Corporation.

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