The training component will support partners by helping them clearly tell the story of people-ready.

Customers look 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.

Only companies that have demonstrated high levels of customer service, proved their experience and attained advanced certification receive the designation of Microsoft Certified Partner.

We are providing the tools to train partners to deliver the people-ready message and supporting them with compelling evidence about why customers who invest in this outperform customers who don't. We want them to know how to live and breathe this message and successfully sell their offerings to customers.

We're saying if you want to get people-ready, get it from our partners, here are our partners. So far, we've had over 12,000 searches in our beta-testing of the tool over the past two weeks.

We started the push by presenting to partners the importance of people being at the center of how Microsoft delivers value in research and development and for customers.