London, UK, September 21, 2020
Merkle achieves Microsoft Gold Data Analytics and Cloud Platform competencies
Merkle demonstrates best-in-class capability and market leadership through demonstrated technology success and customer commitment.
Merkle, a leading technology-enabled, data-driven performance marketing agency and part of Dentsu Aegis Network (DAN), today announced it has attained Gold Data Analytics and Cloud Platform competencies, demonstrating a “best-in-class” ability and commitment to meet Microsoft Corp. customers’ evolving needs in today’s mobile-first, cloud-first world, distinguishing itself within a small percentage of Microsoft’s partner ecosystem.
To earn a Microsoft Gold competency, partners must successfully complete exams (resulting in Microsoft Certified Professionals) to prove their level of technology expertise, and, for Gold competencies, designate these certified professionals uniquely to one Microsoft competency, ensuring a certain level of staffing capacity. Partners must also submit customer references that demonstrate successful projects, meet a performance (revenue and or consumption/usage) commitment (for most Gold competencies), and pass technology and/or sales assessments.
Merkle has been working with Microsoft for nearly a year building a portfolio of clients that use Microsoft cloud and analytics technology in the UK, Europe, Middle East, and Africa. This has enabled Merkle to deliver robust, scalable data science and analytics projects by integrating its solutions with the Microsoft Azure platform. The competency achievement recognises Merkle’s ability to support leading global brands to drive value through data, as well as further collaboration with industry and technical experts from the Microsoft client team to support digital and data transformation.
“This accreditation strengthens our relationship with Microsoft across EMEA. Working with Microsoft means that we can leverage the power of Azure and the skills of our data and analytics teams to deliver innovative data and analytics solutions for our clients,” said Michael Komasinski, President, Merkle EMEA. “We are excited to have achieved this status.”
“By achieving a Gold competency, partners have demonstrated the highest, most consistent capability and commitment to the latest Microsoft technology,” said Gavriella Schuster, corporate vice president, One Commercial Partner (OCP) at Microsoft Corp. “These partners have a deep expertise that puts them in the top of our partner ecosystem, and their proficiency will help customers drive innovative solutions.”
The Data Analytics competency recognises partners who demonstrate expertise in specific aspects of Microsoft BI solutions to deliver, deploy, and support BI projects. Differentiate your company with this competency and receive access to internal use software licenses, technical and presales support, training for your IT professionals, developers, incentives, and marketing through the Partner Marketing Center and Pinpoint. Strengthen relationships with your customers by becoming a provider of SQL Server deployment planning services or SharePoint deployment planning services.
The Cloud Platform competency is designed for partners to capitalise on the growing demand for infrastructure and software as a service (SaaS) solutions built on Microsoft Azure. Differentiate your company with the Cloud Platform competency, and you will be eligible for Signature Cloud Support, Azure deployment planning services, Azure sponsored credit, direct partner support, eligibility to deploy certain on-premises, internal use software on Microsoft Azure, and access to the cloud platform roadmap.
The Microsoft Partner Network helps partners strengthen their capabilities to showcase leadership in the marketplace on the latest technology, to better serve customers and to easily connect with one of the most active, diverse networks in the world.