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The Microsoft Support Services Designation: Microsoft Ignite 2025

The relationship between a customer and a technology partner is often defined by the quality of support delivered when things go wrong. Recognizing this critical function, Microsoft is introducing a powerful new differentiator for its partners: the Support Services designation. This designation publicly recognizes and rewards partners who possess the demonstrated capabilities required to deliver a quality support experience to customers.

Launched in November 2025 at Ignite, the Support Services designation is designed to allow partners to differentiate themselves in the market through badging, enabling customers to easily identify providers with a proven track record of quality support.

Whether you are looking to solidify your reputation, gain a competitive advantage, or unlock exclusive financial incentives, understanding the path to this new designation is crucial.


Table of Contents

  1. The Value Proposition: Why Earn the Designation?

  2. The Essential Prerequisites

  3. How Excellence is Measured: The Three Core Evaluations

  4. The Path to Attainment and Maintenance

Key Takeaways

The Support Services designation is a crucial step for CSP partners looking to solidify their position as top-tier support providers.

  • Launch: The designation achieves General Availability (GA) in November 2025 at Ignite.

  • Eligibility: Only CSP Direct Bills or Distributors who hold a current Solutions Partner designation (Modern Work, Biz Apps, Security, or Azure) and an active support contract (ASfP, PSfP, or Unified) are eligible.

  • Benefits Timeline: The most lucrative benefits, elevated support access and performance incentives (invoice credits), are expected in FY27 when bundled with the new Unified for Partners offer.

  • Assessment: Attainment requires passing three evaluations conducted by the third-party auditor, ISSI: Capability, Case Rate, and CSAT.


The Value Proposition: Why Earn the Designation?

Earning the Support Services designation is more than just receiving a badge; it is about signaling superior capability, driving business growth, and unlocking exclusive benefits from Microsoft.

Market Differentiation and Visibility

The designation allows partners to stand out as a Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) by signaling specific support capabilities to customers.


Solutions partner for support requirement

Badging

Partners attaining the designation will receive a new badge.

Microsoft solution partner for support services

Marketplace Visibility

Beginning in early 2026, partners will gain visibility on the Marketplace with a dedicated support services filter, making it easier for customers to find partners with a track record of quality support.

Ecosystem Value

The designation drives value for the ecosystem by enabling partners to leverage support as a potential growth engine for their services business. It helps enable differentiation and improves competitiveness in the Marketplace.

Exclusive Microsoft Benefits and Financial Incentives

Designated partners unlock Microsoft support benefits that are uniquely exclusive to them. These benefits are designed to distinguish and reward capable service partners in the CSP channel.

Elevated Support

Designated partners will receive the highest level of prioritization for cases and rapid escalation within Microsoft. Access to this elevated level of support is expected later in 2026, bundled with the new upcoming Unified for Partners support offer.

Performance Incentives

Partners can significantly lower support costs through invoice credits based on support performance. These performance-based credits, which aim to reduce the cost of backstop support with Microsoft, are also coming later in 2026 alongside the new Unified for Partners offer.

Early Adoption Incentive

Microsoft is offering a 5% discount on the next Premier Support for Partners (PSfP) contract renewal for a limited number of partners who pass the eligibility criteria and successfully attain the designation.

The Essential Prerequisites

Before registering interest, partners must meet three mandatory prerequisites. Meeting these requirements establishes the foundational relationship and scope necessary to proceed with the rigorous audit process.


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CSP Authorization 

Partners must be authorized as a CSP Direct Bill or a CSP Distributor (formerly known as Indirect Provider). Indirect resellers are not eligible for this designation.

Active Support Contract

Partners must maintain an active partner support contract. This includes currently available options such as Advanced Support for Partners (ASfP) or Premier Support for Partners (PSfP), or the future Unified for Partners offering once it reaches General Availability (GA).

Solutions Partner Status

Partners must have already attained one of the following Solutions Partner designations: Modern Work, Biz Apps, Security, or Azure (any one of the three Azure designations qualifies).

How Excellence is Measured: The Three Core Evaluations

The designation measures the partner’s ability to handle complex support issues effectively, at scale, and to the satisfaction of the end-customer. The assessment process is conducted by an independent third-party auditor, ISSI.

The evaluation involves three distinct audits:

Capability Assessment

This audit provides validated proof of a partner’s delivery capabilities. The third-party auditor assesses and scores the partner’s support delivery operations along three crucial dimensions:

  1. Support function.

  2. Support staff skills.

  3. Support performance metrics.

This step asks the question: Can you support customers?.

Case Rate Evaluation (Performance)

This metric evaluates the partner’s ability to deliver at scale. It measures the number of cases escalated to Microsoft for backstop assistance relative to the size of the CSP business driven by the partner.

The third-party auditor, ISSI, engages in the validation of case volume, and Microsoft then determines the final case rate. This audit determines: Are you doing it effectively?.

CSAT Evaluation

The CSAT evaluation focuses on end-customer support satisfaction to ensure a quality experience is delivered. The auditor assesses the partner's Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) measurement program and determines a final score on a scale of 1 to 5. This step verifies: Are you doing it well?.

The Path to Attainment and Maintenance

The attainment process involves a clear multi-step journey, followed by annual maintenance requirements.

Step-by-Step Attainment Process

  1. Meet Prerequisites and Register Interest: Partners must confirm they meet all prerequisites and complete the pre-enrollment form.

  2. Eligibility Validation: Microsoft reviews the registration and determines the partner’s eligibility to proceed with the assessments.

  3. Capability Evaluation: ISSI conducts the initial audit of support capabilities (evidence required).

  4. Performance Evaluation: ISSI validates case volume, and Microsoft determines the final case rate.

  5. CSAT Evaluation: ISSI conducts the audit to evaluate the partner's CSAT methodology and score.

  6. Attain the Designation Badge: Upon approving the CSAT evaluation, Microsoft issues and awards the Support Services designation badge.

Financial and Renewal Requirements

The designation itself does not have a fee, but partners are responsible for paying the costs charged by the independent third-party auditor for the assessments. These fees are subject to change, but currently include:

  • Capability evaluation: $1,500 USD

  • Performance evaluation: $1,350 USD

  • CSAT evaluation: $500 USD

Designation Validity and Renewal

The Support Services designation validity is 1 year from the attainment date. Partners must re-establish their performance and maintain the necessary prerequisites each cycle to retain the designation.

However, not all components require annual reassessment:

  • Capability pass validity: 2 years.

  • CSAT pass validity: 1 year.

The renewal window opens 60 days before the anniversary and closes 30 days after.

Conclusion

The Support Services designation acts as a professional seal of approval, much like an ISO certification, but specialized for support quality within the Microsoft ecosystem. By undergoing the rigorous audits, partners demonstrate not just that they offer support, but that their processes, staff, and customer satisfaction metrics are demonstrably world-class, allowing them to gain unique access to high-priority resources and exclusive financial rewards.

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