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Alternative Technology Attains Gold Certified Partner Status In Microsoft Partner Program
Alternative Technology Further Distinguishes Itself by Earning a Microsoft Competency In Microsoft Information Worker Productivity Solutions and Networking Infrastructure Solutions
ENGLEWOOD, Colorado, U.S.A. — February 2, 2005 — Alternative Technology, Inc., today announced it has attained Gold Certified status in the Microsoft Partner Program with competencies in Microsoft Advanced Infrastructure Solutions and Networking Infrastructure Solutions, recognizing Alternative Technology’s expertise and total impact in the technology marketplace. As a Gold Certified partner, Alternative Technology has demonstrated expertise with Microsoft technologies and proven ability to meet customers’ needs. Microsoft Gold Certified Partners receive a rich set of benefits, including access, training and support, giving them a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
Through its Technical Services, Alternative Technology has the ability to support its partners – and their customers – by offering a skilled base of Field Services engineers that can do any and all of the assessment, implementation, and project management functions necessary to complete tasks on time, under budget, and with minimal disruption of business services. Alternative’s Support Services offer a 24×7×365 incident-based telephone support help desk that our partners can resell to their customers for support after the implementation. Since Alternative Technology Inc. also offers Education Services, we are able to help train the administrators in supporting the systems after the implementation. Alternative offers the entire suite of support, or support can be supplied on an a la carte basis to supplement what the partner or customer is missing.
“We are very proud to be able to demonstrate our commitment to delivering quality services through our partners to several customers over the last few years. We believe that this recognition from Microsoft will allow us to continue to help our partners deliver solutions that will go well beyond our customers’ expectations,” said John Ross, vice president of Technical Services at Alternative.
“Customers are looking for partner companies that can bridge the gap between their business demands and technology capabilities. They need to trust in someone that can act as an expert adviser for their long-term strategic technology plans. Microsoft Gold Certified Partners, which have certified expertise and direct training and support from Microsoft, can build a positive customer experience with our technologies,” said Allison Watson, vice president of the Worldwide Partner Sales and Marketing Group at Microsoft Corp. “Today, Microsoft recognizes Alternative Technology as a new Microsoft Gold Certified Partner for demonstrating its expertise in providing customer satisfaction with Microsoft products and technology.”
As one of the requirements for attaining Gold Certified Status, Alternative Technology had to declare a Microsoft Competency. Microsoft Competencies are designed to help differentiate a partner’s capabilities with specific Microsoft technologies to customers looking for a particular type of solution. Each competency has a unique set of requirements and benefits, formulated to accurately represent the specific skills and services that partners bring to the technology industry.
Designed to provide additional benefit and support to partners specializing in collaboration, portals and other productivity solutions, the Information Worker Productivity Solutions Competency is utilized by Gold Certified Partners that provide their customers with solutions built on familiar programs that enable them to better manage, prioritize and collaborate on increasing volumes of information. Partners that have obtained the Information Worker Competency can help their customers realize increased service revenues and new market opportunities. “Partners play a critical role in delivering solutions and applications to customers with the Microsoft Office System,” said Jeff Raikes, group vice president of Productivity and Business Services at Microsoft. “The value of Solutions Competencies is that they enable Microsoft to deliver resources and training to partners that are meeting their customer needs. And for partners, the opportunity to highlight their expertise to customers is tremendous in the growing IW solution market.”
Microsoft Gold Certified Partners enrolled in the Networking Infrastructure Solutions Competency have proved their competency in implementing technology solutions based on either the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 or Windows® 2000 Server operating system, with a particular focus on Microsoft Small Business Server 2000 and Windows Small Business Server 2003. These implementations may include crafting solutions that connect Windows-based servers, PC locations and the Internet; installing a server farm; or building a small-business Windows Server stand-alone solution that includes file and print capabilities. “We place tremendous value on our partners, who help us deliver solutions and applications to customers,” said Allison Watson, vice president of the Worldwide Partner Sales and Marketing Group at Microsoft. “Solutions Competencies provide an integrated partnering framework that recognizes an enterprise’s expertise and rewards it for the effect it has in the technology marketplace. It also allows companies to demonstrate for customers their knowledge of building solutions based on Microsoft technologies, such as setting up networks using Windows Server 2003 and Windows Small Business Server 2003.”
The Microsoft Partner Program was launched in December 2003 and represents Microsoft’s ongoing commitment to the success of partners worldwide. The program offers a single, integrated partnering framework that recognizes partner expertise, rewards the total impact that partners have in the technology marketplace, and delivers more value to help partners’ businesses be successful.
About Alternative Technology
Alternative Technology is the leading specialty distributor for Value Added Resellers who need products and services targeted at Thin-client/Server-based Computing, Edge Infrastructure, Security and Wireless markets. Driving the widespread adoption of leading edge technologies by bridging the gaps between products and services to solve critical business problems, Alternative identifies business issues that are key to our markets and offer multi-vendor solutions that drive demand back through our reseller partners. Alternative Technology, headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, has offices in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Carlsbad, California, and Mississauga, Canada. For more information, go to: www.AltTech.com, e-mail: sales@AltTech.com or call toll-free: 800.544.7674 (USA), or 866.240.9991 (Canada).
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For more information, press only: Nancy Gapter, vice president of marketing, Alternative Technology, Inc., 303-790-2330 and nancy.gapter@alttech.com