Leveraging the Microsoft Commercial Marketplace for digital transformation 

August 7, 2024

With a vast array of software solutions available today, businesses face challenges in efficiently purchasing and managing these assets. The Microsoft Commercial Marketplace addresses this by providing a centralized hub to explore, purchase, and manage software solutions that cater to various business needs. It simplifies software procurement, reduces purchasing complexities, and helps organizations consolidate their software portfolios.

According to the 2023 Total Economic Impact study by Forrester Consulting, commissioned by Microsoft, Microsoft Commercial Marketplace delivered a 587% ROI to customers, with a payback period of less than six months. This shows the tangible benefits organizations can achieve by leveraging the marketplace.

What is Microsoft Commercial Marketplace?

The Microsoft Commercial Marketplace is a platform designed to help businesses connect with customers and partners at scale. It allows independent software vendors (ISVs) and service providers to publish, sell, market, and manage their solutions through Microsoft’s digital storefronts, such as Microsoft AppSource and the Azure Marketplace.

Connecting customers with over 400,000 partners through a single trusted source, the Microsoft Commercial Marketplace has simplified and accelerated B2B tech commerce.

Here are some key features:

  • Direct sales: Sell your solutions directly to Microsoft customers.
  • Partner ecosystem: Create private offers and collaborate with other Microsoft partners to expand your reach.
  • Co-selling: Increase sales opportunities by co-selling with Microsoft.
  • ISV success program: Access tools, consultations, and support to accelerate growth.
  • Comprehensive catalog: Find various certified solutions tailored to meet diverse business needs.

The Microsoft Commercial Marketplace empowers businesses to seamlessly discover, evaluate, purchase, and deploy various software solutions. From productivity apps, CRM and ERP applications, Azure-based services, data analytics, AI tools, and industry-specific solutions, Microsoft’s digital marketplace offers a comprehensive selection of tools, including those powered by Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Power Platform. This platform simplifies the search for the right solutions by providing access to an extensive ecosystem of Microsoft and third-party applications tailored to diverse business needs. The marketplace allows businesses to effortlessly integrate new technologies into their operations and stay competitive in the ever-evolving market by streamlining the purchasing and deployment process.

Quantifiable and non-quantifiable business benefits of Microsoft Commerical Marketplace

Forrester Consulting interviewed 10 customers who actively use the Microsoft Commercial Marketplace to assess its impact. The insights from these interviews were aggregated to form a composite profile of a global organization with 5,000 employees and an annual revenue of $4 billion.

The research highlighted several benefits for organizations using the Microsoft Commercial Marketplace, including:

  • Simplified enterprise buying and software procurement: In the fast-evolving tech landscape, procurement teams face numerous challenges in managing vendor relationships and selecting suitable solutions. By centralizing the buying process, the Microsoft Commercial Marketplace reduced employee effort for each procurement engagement by 50%, saving a composite organization $2 million in internal labor costs over three years.
  • Improved time savings for finance teams: The Microsoft Commercial Marketplace delivered a 30% time savings for payments made by finance teams by reducing time spent on tasks like invoice processing and error correction. This led to productivity gains worth $570,700 over three years.
  • Reduced vendor onboarding time: By streamlining the vendor enrollment process, organizations reduced the time needed for onboarding new vendors by 75%, saving $50,900 over three years.
  • Avoided proof-of-concept costs: The Microsoft Commercial Marketplace allowed organizations to access free trial versions of software solutions, eliminating the need for costly proof-of-concept fees and saving an estimated $173,400 over three years.
  • Accelerated solution deployment: By procuring software through the marketplace, organizations reduced the time required to implement new applications, enabling them to benefit from the solutions compared to traditional procurement methods quickly.
  • Enhanced security and compliance: The marketplace offered a wide range of software solutions that met rigorous security and compliance standards, allowing organizations to choose applications aligned with their specific regulatory requirements.
  • Flexible payment options: Organizations benefited from flexible payment terms offered by the marketplace, which accommodated both their needs and those of the suppliers, ensuring a smooth purchasing process.
  • Improved software management: The Microsoft Commercial Marketplace provided a centralized platform for accessing and managing software, enhancing visibility into the tech stack, and optimizing software usage and costs.

Microsoft Commercial Marketplace delivered customers a 587% return on investment (ROI) with a payback period of less than six months.

Get started with Microsoft Commercial Marketplace today

No matter the size of your business, whether a large enterprise or an SMB, the Microsoft Commercial Marketplace makes it easy to access the tools you need with speed, security, and efficiency.

As a trusted Microsoft Solutions Partner, Confiz can help accelerate your digital transformation journey with a range of solutions designed to enhance your business operations.

Explore Confiz solutions on Microsoft AppSource

Explore our solutions listed on Microsoft AppSource to discover how Confiz’s offerings can meet your unique business needs and drive growth.

Customer Driven Marketing Solution (CDMS)

Confiz’s Customer-Driven Marketing Solution (CDMS) offers Dynamics 365 users a unified platform for customer data activation, marketing automation, and multichannel messaging. It provides a deep understanding of customers through cross-device engagement tracking and seamless data integration, enabling personalized marketing campaigns backed by effective market segmentation. Powered by D.engage, CDMS utilizes the Customer Data Platform (CDP) and Multi-Channel Marketing Platform (MMP) to enhance campaign performance, boost conversions, and elevate customer retention and CSAT scores.

Dynamics 365 Super and Hypermarkets Solution

Built on the capabilities of D365 Finance and Operations, our Dynamics 365 Super and Hypermarkets Solutions simplifies grocery retail operations by automating tasks like third-party contract management and back-end margin calculations. It streamlines procurement, stock replenishment, and warehousing processes while providing advanced financial controls through dashboards and reporting tools. Other features include automated order-taking, intelligent stock allocation and assortment planning, and customer self-checkout, all aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and productivity.

Dynamics 365 Barcode Scanning Add-on

Confiz’s Barcode Scanning App, available on Microsoft AppSource, is designed to streamline inventory management and improve operational efficiency. This solution integrates seamlessly with Dynamics 365, enabling real-time barcode scanning to track inventory, manage warehouse operations, and accurately process orders. It simplifies data entry and reduces manual errors, giving businesses enhanced visibility and control over their inventory processes. The app is tailored for ease of use, helping organizations optimize their supply chain and operational workflows.

Shopify and Dynamics 365 Integration Solution

Confiz’s Shopify and Dynamics 365 Integration Solution, available on Microsoft AppSource, ensures seamless real-time synchronization of product details, orders, and customer data between your Shopify store and Dynamics 365 F&O. This integration enhances operational efficiency by automating inventory updates, order processing, and pricing adjustments, maintaining consistency and accuracy across your e-commerce store and ERP system. Experience streamlined store operations, improved customer interactions, and minimized manual data entry errors with our Dynamics 365 and Shopify integration.

Gen AI Virtual Assistant PoC

Confiz also offers consulting services like Generative AI Proof of Concept (PoC) aimed at simplifying the implementation of generative AI for your business. We assess your current processes and develop a pilot Gen AI virtual assistant using OpenAI Azure services and large language models tailored to your data and specific use cases. This solution aims to improve operational efficiency, reduce administrative tasks, and enhance customer experience. Our 8-week POC provides a quickly deployable, customized solution to advance your generative AI journey and optimize your workflows.

Summing up

The Microsoft Commercial Marketplace serves as a central hub for organizations to access a diverse range of solutions and services, streamline software procurement, and optimize their digital transformation journey.

Contact us at marketing@confiz.com to learn more about our offerings on the Microsoft Commercial Marketplace and begin your digital transformation.