Are you a systems integrator or partner serving enterprise organizations that are considering selling Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) and looking for tips on how to succeed in this market?  
 
From what your salespeople should know before selling AVD, to the common misconceptions about Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS), and insights into the market that can help empower your sales team – this blog covers it all.  

With these tips, you can position yourself as a trusted advisor.

What Should All Salespeople Know Before Selling AVD 

Salespeople who are selling AVD should be aware of a few key points. Firstly, AVD is integrated into several existing Microsoft license agreements such as E3/E5. This means AVD uses Microsoft identity technology and is incredibly easy for customers to implement. This is particularly helpful for customers who have already heavily invested in Microsoft. Customers have already paid for the seat license, and there is no added cost, unlike with VMware or Citrix.  

Secondly, AVD is highly flexible and can adapt to a business’s needs quickly due to its consumption-based model. This means that new use cases can be delivered within hours, making it a valuable solution for companies looking to streamline their operations.  

What Enterprise Pain Points Does DaaS Solve?  

DaaS solutions assist with common enterprise pain points in many ways. Firstly, DaaS offers centralized data storage for security compliance and provides temporary access to corporate systems for third-party users. This eliminates the need to provide corporate devices that may not be returned, reduces costs, and improves control over temporary/contract workers.  

Moreover, DaaS allows companies to onboard new users quickly without having to ship a device, increasing efficiency and enabling employees to work from anywhere.  

Additionally, VDI/DaaS solutions eliminate the need to purchase expensive hardware for specialist workloads such as GPU for design work. Many users can share these solutions, reducing expenses and improving resource utilization of costly resources.

These are just a few examples of the hundreds of pain points that DaaS can solve.  

Common Misconceptions and Resistances for DaaS  

One major concern is the perception that DaaS is expensive because users still need a physical device to work remotely, resulting in the payment of workloads twice. This misconception is false as leveraging DaaS dramatically drives down the cost of supporting physical endpoints. 

 Another factor that causes resistance is the perceived complexity of delivering cloud desktops. Many enterprises believe that they lack the staff or technical ability to manage the transition. However, solutions like Nerdio can help simplify this process. Moreover, delivering DaaS allows for employees on work-from-home contracts, or seasonal employees to be onboarded and set up much quicker. As businesses increasingly adopt remote work policies, it is crucial to overcome these misconceptions and embrace the potential advantages of DaaS, such as improved security, scalability, and reduced infrastructure costs. 

What gets enterprise buyers excited about Azure-based DaaS? 

Enterprise buyers are increasingly excited about Azure-based DaaS due to a variety of selling points. One major advantage is that the licensing is included within the M365 agreement, making it more affordable for companies that are already using Microsoft apps. Additionally, using Microsoft on Microsoft technology can lead to improved performance and cost savings.  Another key factor is that many applications are now Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)-based, reducing the need for resources on the edge. As a result, enterprise buyers see value in simply presenting a Windows image for users to access SaaS apps. This is where AVD comes in as a solution, making it an attractive choice for companies looking to optimize productivity and overall EUC cost 

Market Insights Supporting Azure-Based DaaS 

Market analysis shows overwhelmingly that AVD is in high demand and that customers are ditching traditional VDI tech for it. This is a huge opportunity to help our customers modernize their systems and move to the cloud while offering them value-added services to optimize their operations while reducing costs. It’s not just about the tech; we can also position ourselves as trusted advisors and help our customers with their cloud strategy. With so much potential in the market, it’s important for salespeople to understand trends and ongoings so they can stay ahead and “in the know.” 

How can Partners Strengthen Their DaaS/Digital Workspace Offering? 

To strengthen their DaaS/digital workspace offering and increase sales and interest, partners can consider several strategies. One approach is to use the all-in opportunity, which combines Azure consumption margin (becoming a CSP provider), Nerdio margin, and services opportunity to create a more lucrative sales opportunity than a simple renewal of legacy technology.  Additionally, Microsoft offers a range of incentives for partners looking to drive AVD and Azure consumption, including paid services by Microsoft to help drive adoption. Furthermore, obtaining technical certifications, such as the NME Certification, can greatly enhance the value of a partner’s DaaS offering by showcasing their expertise in managing AVD-based virtual desktop environments. Overall, there are several ways for partners to strengthen their DaaS/digital workspace offering and increase sales and interest. It’s important to consider all available strategies to maximize the potential for success. 

Conclusion: 

Sales teams aiming to prioritize AVD can benefit from existing successful AVD sales strategies. Recent data reveals that 60% of Fortune 500 companies currently utilize Azure-based Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) offerings, with AVD performing exceptionally well in 2023.

By focusing on AVD sales, significant growth opportunities arise. Neglecting AVD could result in missing out on a rapidly expanding and potentially massive market.

To further enhance your AVD offerings, consider leveraging Nerdio Manager for Enterprise. This solution allows customers to capitalize on Microsoft’s substantial investments in Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365 services. Unlike other virtual desktop solutions, Nerdio Manager for Enterprise complements Microsoft’s native components by providing top-tier enterprise features. Learn more here.