Raising the Bar: What 2025 Signalled for Microsoft CSP Partners & Why 2026 Is About Maturity

As we moved into January, it gave us a rare opportunity to pause and reflect. For us at Dicker Data, the calendar year reset aligns with our financial year, and that moment of reflection in early 2026 made one thing very clear:

• 2025 raised the bar for CSP partners — and there’s no going back.

• CSP Has Matured — and So Must Partners

One of the biggest shifts we saw in 2025 was Microsoft deliberately increasing expectations across the CSP ecosystem.

Security controls became mandatory.
CSP authorisations started being validated annually.
Compliance moved from “eventually” to now.

Some partners felt pain — and understandably so. But the intent is clear: Microsoft is aligning its partner ecosystem to usage, adoption, and solution outcomes, not just resale volume.

That’s why staying informed matters. Partner communications, tooling updates, and compliance changes are no longer optional reading — they directly impact your ability to transact.

Incentives Follow Outcomes

Across Azure and CSP more broadly, incentives are increasingly tied to:

• Growth in workloads

• Active usage

• Customer success

That loops straight back to lifecycle management. Partners who help customers realise value — and then continue expanding that value — are the ones Microsoft rewards.

Why Solution Partner Designations Matter More Than Ever

If there’s one message I want partners to take seriously heading into 2026, it’s this:

Solution Partner Designations (SPDs) are becoming the ticket to the game.

They don’t just validate your capability to customers — they unlock:

• Commercial incentives

• Rebates

• Funding programs

• Co sell opportunities

Specialisations raise the bar further. We’re seeing new momentum around Copilot specialisations, which unlock funding for envisioning workshops and proofs of concept. More specialised partners are also far more likely to co sell with Microsoft account teams.

This isn’t just about credibility — it’s about profitability.

AI: Be Customer Zero

One of the strongest indicators of partner success in 2025 was simple: partners who used AI themselves moved faster.

At Dicker Data, we rolled Copilot out to a portion of our own workforce and lived through the governance, security, and adoption journey ourselves. That experience matters.

If you’re not using AI internally — whether Copilot Chat, M365 Copilot, or agents — it becomes much harder to guide customers with confidence. The partners accelerating fastest are the ones who have already walked the path.

What We’re Seeing Work in Market

In real terms, the most effective partner offers we’re seeing look like this:

• Fixed price, fixed outcome AI packages

• Copilot and data readiness assessments

• Strategy and envisioning workshops

• Verticalised AI agents (sales, legal, RFPs)

• Managed Copilot services with governance, reporting, and optimisation

This is the shift from selling effort to selling outcomes — and it’s very real.

Cost Optimisation and EA to CSP Conversations

In Australia and New Zealand especially, we’re also seeing renewed opportunity around Enterprise Agreements.

Many customers aren’t receiving the same discounts they did years ago. For the right customers, moving from EA to CSP can unlock meaningful savings — and new partner led service opportunities.

Having the confidence, tools, and licensing expertise to run those comparisons is becoming a major growth lever.

Looking Ahead to 2026

Microsoft’s expectations are clear:

• Stronger security posture

• Proven customer success

• Deeper AI and Copilot capability

• Clear solution designations

• Active co selling engagement

Our role is to help partners meet those expectations — with programs, roadshows, tooling, and practical support.

Stay Connected with Dicker Data

To stay ahead and keep up with the latest opportunities, events, and updates, I strongly recommend partners join our Microsoft Community. Signing up gives you access to news, resources, and ongoing support tailored for CSP partners. It’s also worth regularly checking our Events page — we’re always launching new skilling programs that can help you deliver even more value to your customers. Staying connected ensures you’re the first to know about what’s coming next and how to take advantage of it.

Final Reflection

2025 wasn’t just a transition year.

It was a signal.

The partners who embrace maturity, standardisation, and outcome driven services won’t just survive the new CSP environment — they’ll lead it.