Cloud Solutions

AppDirect partners with Microsoft to power your business to do more with less

By Duncan Smith / March 30, 2023

Recent advances in immersive technologies and neural networks, particularly in the fields of virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), artificial intelligence (AI), and blockchain, have fueled the rise of Facebook metaverse, ChatGPT, and Bitcoin, making each of them super hot topics in tech, finance, and media circles.

There's no denying the market impact of these game changing innovations. Medicare has been investing in AI for quite some time, and with some great results to show for it. When done correctly, experience-based technologies can be especially effective for marketing, customer engagement, and interactive learning. Blockchain could be a godsend for the cybersecurity industry. And with data leaks happening all the time, AI might resolve several of the biggest pain points for security experts.

But is all that talk of transformative tech just more industry hype?

Microsoft's "multibillion dollar" investment announcement in OpenAI, and recent speculation about how to monetize ChatGPT and is this yet another "mega failure to understand potential", have reminded me of the infamous William Gibson quote: The future is already here – it's just not evenly distributed. That is to say, while more and more enterprises are flocking to the cloud to benefit from scalability, responsiveness and cost efficiencies, there is a growing divide between the awareness of the latest business technologies, and the number of mid-size companies that are able to capitalize on these advances. In fact, there are many access barriers to technological change, and the so-called promises of digital innovation are still not mainstream for most organizations.

Despite the acceleration in tech spending since the start of the pandemic, small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) are struggling to keep up with technologies that can help them stay ahead. Understanding these digital technologies, lack of skills necessary for adoption, and network unreliability are clear pain points.

Business owners we speak with often decry discussion of technology trends that are too far removed from their day-to-day operating reality. Testing and adopting the latest tech can be expensive and time consuming, but more fundamentally, access to business technology remains complex — 84% of SMEs experience at least some difficulty in buying SaaS solutions.

The leading marketplace to find, buy, and manage all your business technology services and solutions

At the end of the day, there are only two things that really matter to business owners — costs and revenue. Drawing a straight line between investment in technology and a tangible impact on operational efficiencies is easier said than done. Now more than ever we're seeing a real need for IT teams to do more with less. Business owners are looking for help and many agree they see better return on software solution purchases when working with a trusted technology advisor.

Investing in new technology can be a daunting task, especially for businesses that are already stretched thin. That's where AppDirect comes in. Through our industry leading catalog of +1,000 technology providers, flexible support services, and an unparalleled network of trusted partners and advisors, AppDirect provides a one-stop-shop to find, buy, and manage all your Microsoft subscriptions in one place.

As a leading provider of Microsoft software, AppDirect offers a wide range of solutions that can help your organization achieve its goals. From productivity tools like Office 365 and Teams, to cloud-based platforms like Azure and Dynamics 365, AppDirect's platform makes it easy to visualize usage, track invoices, and consolidate licenses. Not only can you take advantage of these spend management features to inform subscription renewals and identify potential savings, you can also reduce IT costs with automated employee onboarding and offboarding flows. In just a few clicks, IT admins can quickly provision accounts to set users up on day one.

The change to a cloud environment is a significant undertaking that has a huge impact on the way IT organizations operate and the way services are delivered to business users. AppDirect has helped millions of Microsoft subscribers on their cloud journey. With a North American network of over 5,000 technology experts, you can easily find the right trusted Advisor to navigate the complex landscape of products and services, negotiate the most favorable contract terms available, and seamlessly migrate to the Microsoft cloud.

AppDirect is a Microsoft certified cloud solution partner. Whether you're looking to tame meeting madness and boost employee productivity, embrace modern security and protect your business data from cyber threats, or learn how to optimize IT infrastructure and minimize downtime — AppDirect delivers 5-star technical support and access to cloud computing advisors at every step of the way.

To thrive in today’s business world and bridge the digital divide, you need a trusted partner that can provide the experience and guidance to harness the latest cloud technologies. Why not meet with an AppDirect expert today? Discover how to maximize the return on your Microsoft spend by leveraging a single platform to procure, deploy and manage all your subscriptions in one place.