FirstComm achieved a major milestone in July by securing a new partnership that enables the company to provide the full Microsoft product portfolio to partners and customers. FirstComm’s transformation to a CSP comes at an ideal time, considering the surging demand for Microsoft services. According to Flexera’s latest State of the Cloud report, Microsoft is by far the most common non-SaaS software vendor being used today, significantly outpacing Oracle, SAP, IBM and other competitors. Azure also surpassed AWS this spring and now has the highest cloud adoption among all organizations. At the same time, Windows is on the verge of releasing several product updates, which businesses across all industries will be looking to leverage. For example, Windows 12 and Windows Server are expected to launch in the coming months. Microsoft also recently announced the general availability of Dynamics 365 Contact Center, a cutting-edge contact-centeras-a-service (CCaaS) product with Copilot AI features. Partners can access all these services, and more, by partnering with FirstComm. The announcement complements FirstComm’s existing Microsoft Teams integration, UC Teams, which adds hosted phone (PBX) functionality into active Teams instances and enables employees to engage in high-quality voice communication from any location. “As we transition from old technology to new, the new technology is also rapidly changing,” said FirstComm vice president of business development Kevin Bartnicki. “We embrace this change and are excited to be working closely with our Microsoft partners to expand beyond voice integration and begin offering the full stack to our partners and customers. This development empowers FirstComm’s partner family to quickly and easily deliver Microsoft services to their customers and capitalize on rising demand.” Established in Akron, Ohio, FirstComm has been a trusted partner nationwide for more than 20 years. Today, the company provides a comprehensive portfolio of agile services including cloud communications, data, voice, security and managed services to more than 35,000 businesses across the United States. FirstComm also is now under new leadership. In July, FirstComm named Paul Van Hyfte as its CEO. Van Hyfte, together with president and CFO Mark Sollenberger, will lead FirstComm in its transition to next-generation technology growth. During the years, the company has developed a solid reputation for guiding customers through technology deployments and helping them avoid pitfalls and performance issues. For example, many businesses are currently struggling to optimize SD-WAN. According to the latest EMA Research report, 48 percent of respondents said they see room for improvement with the native monitoring capabilities of SD-WAN solutions. FirstComm offers advanced monitoring and reporting, giving customers deeper visibility into performance and routing quality. “At FirstComm, our guiding principle is placing the customer at the forefront of all our efforts,” Bartnicki added. “We are fully committed to supporting our customers and partners in their journey towards digital network transformation. Through our robust communication and collaboration tools, top-tier network connectivity and outstanding customer service, we ensure that every interaction is seamless and effective.” FirstComm also boasts a long history of excellence in the channel, having been part of the agent community for 25 years and counting. More than 3,000 VARS, agents, solution providers and IT professionals now trust FirstComm as their MSP. Partners have the opportunity to earn competitive commissions and incentives, along with dedicated sales and technical support, comprehensive training and on-demand marketing resources. Of note, FirstComm took home its second consecutive ChannelVision “Visionary Spotlight Award” in 2024 – this year, in the Best Service Delivery Teams category – for its ability to provide first-class customer support. The company also is known for providing exceptional care and treating partners and customers as members of its extended family, and “more than just a number in a spreadsheet.” “FirstComm’s flexible partnership models cater to your business’s unique needs, whether you’re an independent agent, reseller or referral partner,” Bartnicki added. “Partnering with us is a great way to access industry-leading, futureproofed solutions and grow your telecom sales.” Looking to expand your business and leverage FirstComm’s growing product portfolio? To get started, reach out to Kevin Bartnicki at kbartnicki@firstcomm.com. FirstComm Levels Up its Sales Stack Kevin Bartnicki, FirstComm VP VIRTUAL REALITIES By Gerald Baldino 60 CHANNELVISION | JULY - AUGUST 2024
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