Microsoft Relationship

Sales Solution
Partner Guide:
Roles, Responsibilities & Engagement
Guidelines
Table of contents:

Statement of purpose

Microsoft Relationship Sales solution

• Offer overview
• Pricing waterfall
• Partner incentives
• Key takeaways

Sales operations and rules of the road

Roles and responsibilities of Partners, Microsoft and LinkedIn

Statement of purpose

The purpose of the document is to clearly outline the role and responsibilities of
Partners, Microsoft and LinkedIn in support of the Microsoft Relationship Sales
solution (MRSs) available through EA.

Updated September 1, 2021

Microsoft Relationship Sales

Stay connected to your

Find the right people Reduce cost of selling
customers
Find the right people

Identify people Find every member of Discover the best path to

most likely to buy the buying committee reach each buyer
Stay connected to your customers

Take the next Keep track of customers Engage customers with

best action and their needs personalized content
Reduce cost of selling

Streamline selling with Keep customer Gain full context with

connected, digital processes data accurate unified timeline
Better together

Increase sales productivity

Accelerate time to close

Combining Sales Navigator + Dynamics 365 for relationship-based

selling helps sellers close deals faster
Learn more about Microsoft Relationship Sales
Watch a demo

Take an integration course

Meet with the account team to get a

personalized assessment of your sellers’
LinkedIn usage

Browse the MRSs content

Customer stories
Customer:
Grant Thornton

Industry: “We’ve put Dynamics 365 at the heart of Grant Thornton’s digital enterprise, so
Professional Services
when Microsoft brings powerful tools like Sales Insights to the table, we need to
Size:
1,000–9,999 employees
fully explore all the ways we can put those tools to use.”
—Nichole Jordan, National Managing Partner, Markets, Clients and Industry, Grant Thornton
Country:
United States

Products and services: Situation: Solution: Impact:

Microsoft Dynamics 365
– Dynamics 365 Sales To best serve its clients, Grant Grant Thornton uses Microsoft With AI-powered capabilities from
– Dynamics 365 Sales Insights Thornton ties its extensive Dynamics 365 Sales and LinkedIn Dynamics 365 Sales Insights, Grant
LinkedIn Sales Navigator knowledge of macro-level Sales Navigator to help the firm Thornton can continually understand the
Read full story here economic and industry trends to “connect the macro with the health of client relationships and where
the interests, motivations, and micro” and deliver that information new opportunities may lie, take actions
challenges faced by individual to team members in an intuitive, based on those insights, and close new
executives within its client base. easily accessible manner. opportunities faster.
Customer:
Larsen & Toubro

Industry:
Manufacturing

Size:
“Dynamics 365 is the single solution to help us bring together our experts across the
10,000+ employees company to collaborate and solve complex problems for customers. We’ve gained
Country:
India
transparency across the entire sales cycle, so every member has the information and
Products and services:
insights to contribute to the deal.”
Microsoft Dynamics 365 —Sudip Mazumder, General Manager, Head of Engineering and Construction Industry Digital, L&T Group
Dynamics 365 Marketing
Dynamics 365 Sales Situation: Solution: Impact:
Dynamics 365 Sales Insights
Microsoft 365 Multinational conglomerate Larsen & L&T-NxT deployed three Microsoft The sales team can now better manage
Microsoft Teams Toubro launched a digital startup Dynamics 365 business leads, boost sales agility, and increase
LinkedIn Sales Navigator called L&T-NxT to deliver cutting- applications—Sales, Marketing, and win rates with marquee customers. By
Read full story here edge digital solutions for its global Sales Insights. It also uses LinkedIn choosing a Dynamics 365–based
customers. With complex technical Sales Navigator to connect with solution, L&T-NxT ensures that its
and customer requirements, the prospects. Working with partner LTI, global sales force can access
startup needed a way to contact and the startup completed the comprehensive customer data from
track its sales and marketing activities. implementation in less than 30 days. any location.
Customer:
HP “What we’re seeing is that month after month, the contribution LinkedIn and
Industry: Dynamics make to our sales pipeline is multiplied by 10. If that’s not exponential
Manufacturing
growth, I don’t know what is.”
Size:
55,000 people Vincent Brissot, Vice President of Digital Automation and Channel Operations, HP

Country:
United States
Situation: Solution: Impact:
Products and services:
Approaching its 80th anniversary, HP HP trained 1,200 sales agents to In four months, the contributions to the
Microsoft Relationship Sales
was looking for new ways to build use Microsoft Relationship HP sales pipeline that are attributable to
Read full story here the sales workforce of the future. Its Sales. This would allow them to Microsoft Relationship Sales grew by 6,500
main priority was to improve the access LinkedIn’s network of percent. In addition, sales agents are
relationship selling capabilities of its over 590 million professionals, reporting that Microsoft Relationship Sales
sales teams across the globe. unlocking new ways to digitally is helping them to find and connect with
identify, connect to, and engage the right prospects.
with customers.
Customer:
Crane Worldwide Logistics

Industry:
Travel and Transportation
“Just by getting the team using the platform, we’ve seen an uplift in activity in all
Size:
areas. We’ve had record growth since implementing Microsoft Relationship Sales—the
2,000+ employees last quarter was excellent for us.”
Country: —John Jergens, Vice President of Global Sales, Crane Worldwide Logistics
United States

Products and services:

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Situation: Solution: Impact:
Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Sales
LinkedIn Global logistics and freight Crane Worldwide adopted the The company now supports more
Sales Navigator company Crane Worldwide Microsoft Relationship Sales solution, personalized, meaningful customer
Logistics lacked visibility into its which brings together LinkedIn Sales engagements. With more efficient
Read full story here vast sales pipeline. It used Navigator and Microsoft Dynamics processes and true visibility into
disconnected systems to manage a 365 for Sales. Sellers now have sales opportunities, it’s faster and
relationship and needed a modern centralized context, tools, and more successful at building
platform that provided new sales insights, increasing conversion customer relationships that turn
tools all in one place. chances from the very start. into revenue.
Gartner Magic Quadrant for Sales Force Automation, Theodore (Tad) Travis, et al, July 2020
This graphic was published by Gartner, Inc. as part of a larger research document and should be evaluated in the context of the entire document. The Gartner document is available upon request from Microsoft. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its
research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner
disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to
select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this
research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
LinkedIn Contract Tear-up

Multi-year commitment Total Spend (Total >20% higher than

and bookings accretive Contract Value) > $200K renewal target amount
USD for LinkedIn contract

As of July 1, 2020
Key takeaways
Microsoft Relationship Sales combines the best of Dynamics 365 Sales for Enterprise and
LinkedIn Sales Navigator in a combined package for customers

Only available through Commercial Enterprise Agreement; MRSs offer true-down not
available at anniversary date, only available at renewal date

Minimum 10 seats

Incentive model is consistent with all other D365 apps

Sales operations and engagement has slight variation from the standard D365 process
Sales Operations and Rules of the Road
Sales operations and rules of the road
Engagement guidelines:
• All Enterprise Agreement (EA) deals are required to have an MSFT Dynamics D365 CE Specialists attached.
• Specialist will be the central POC for LinkedIn and Partners; and will introduce partners to LinkedIn reps for collaboration on each deal.
• Specialist will receive Sales Navigator (SN) training and have a SN license to be used to execute and enable their day-to-day selling
process.
• Partners can leverage their MRSs instance or the Specialist or LinkedIn rep’s D365/SN (MRSs) license to demo the solution. There will not
be a demo instance of SN for the Specialist or partner to use.
• Partners will not receive demo environments or IURs of Sales Navigator.

Partner Responsibilities Microsoft Responsibilities LinkedIn Responsibilities

Partners are expected to work with the designated Specialist required for ALL MRSs deals and will be LinkedIn to provide sales support to the
Specialist for the opportunity to position, demo and the quarterback and coordinator between the partner/Specialists.
sell the value of the software, including software Partner, Microsoft and LinkedIn.
features, functionality and business value. LinkedIn rep is required on ALL MRSs deals
MS Specialist must engage with the LinkedIn rep on
all deals.
Partners will be provided on-demand training on Microsoft is expected to pull in technical and sales LinkedIn responsible for software provisioning of
high level D365/SN messaging and offer. resources for architectural clarity, demo work and Sales Navigator licenses and post-sale support of
proof-of-concept. Sales Navigator.
Training available on Microsoft’s Partner University
Partner is expected to quote their own Microsoft to deliver final pricing for Dynamics and
implementation/consulting services in alignment MRSs offer; MRSs SKU is non-discountable.
with the MS quote for the Dynamics.
Roles and responsibilities checklist
Responsibility
Event Experience Notes
Microsoft Partner LinkedIn
Customer Initial customer engagement Specialists required and are Partner connects with the Support as requested through Partners should work directly
with AM and Specialist to central POC; with Sales designated Specialist for the Specialist only with and through Specialist
Discovery learn about Microsoft Navigator training and license prospect and supports pre-
Specialist to engage with
Relationship Sales solution – sales efforts (marketing,
Microsoft field on point for LinkedIn rep to provide
an offer that combines D365 demos, proof-of-concept, RFP
deal orchestration, pulling pre-sales and customer
Sales Enterprise and LinkedIn response, works closely with
together Microsoft and Partner demo resources
Sales Navigator the Microsoft sales team on
and LinkedIn resources and
deal orchestration, etc.)
“quarterbacking” deal
Specialist connects partner to
LinkedIn rep

Purchase Microsoft Relationship Sales Customer purchases the Register with Microsoft as the LinkedIn Rep engages with Reduction Eligible – No True
solution is a Single VL SKU software from either a LSP “Partner of Record” on the EA MSFT rep/partner to drive to Up Eligible – Yes Extended
transaction following existing close and for existing Term Eligible – No
Customer will see a single (transactional/billing services
processes and procedure customers migrating to MRSs
price on the invoice provider for MS) or directly Gov/Edu Eligible-No
handles LinkedIn contract
from MS Standard D365
tear-ups
incentives apply
Roles and responsibilities checklist
Responsibility
Event Experience Notes
Microsoft Partner LinkedIn
Legal: OST, PT, Contract terms and Process MRSs Offer on MSFT paper as n/a Process LinkedIn contract OST: Online Service Terms PT:
part of EA construct tear-up, as appropriate Product Terms
CSLA
CSLA: Consolidated SLA

ROC: Automated process between ROC processes the order n/a n/a Activation Email – Activation
MSFT and LI in MSL email only goes to new
Order - Invoicing customers.

Hand Off Customer receives activation Data hand-off (Owner: Austin n/a The LinkedIn order
Email from Microsoft (for Ruf - CPLA) Identified list of management team will pick
Dynamics 365 USLs – User fields will be pulled from LIR up the data and create an
Subscription Licenses) and and handed off to LinkedIn opportunity that will flow
LinkedIn (for Sales through LinkedIn CRM ->
Navigator seats) LinkedIn Finance
systems ->LinkedIn
Provisioning system
Roles and responsibilities checklist
Responsibility
Event Experience Notes
Microsoft Partner LinkedIn
Provisioning Standard process: Once ROC New customer: receives Partner is expected to quote n/a Customer Admin configures
processes the order, the welcome email. Create an implementation/ consulting provisioning
(D365) Volume Licensing systems account profile and provide services in alignment with the
Create profile and assign
send it to the Enterprise domain name MS quote for the Dynamics
licenses in MOP
Commerce for provisioning 365 software
Existing customer: specify the
existing tenant to tie the
subscription

Provisioning Automated 4-step process n/a n/a LinkedIn Enterprise support Partner copied on emails
from MSFT to LinkedIn team sends welcoming email when customer is contacted
(LinkedIn) from CRM (provisions
instructions)

Customer Two distinct services; D365 Varies No partner role for SN Customers will be on boarded >100k threshold (Dynamics
customer can access LinkedIn onboarding through LinkedIn with TCV) and 25 SN seat
Onboarding data of existing leads within dedicated CS support or self- minimum
service model depending on
D365 Sales Enterprise; MRSs =dedicated LinkedIn CSM
seat count
is not a single unified support.
<100kTCV or < 25 SN
seats= 100% self-serve online
support
Roles and responsibilities checklist
Responsibility
Event Experience Notes
Microsoft Partner LinkedIn
Billing / Terms / Invoicing and provisioning Once an order is processed, an n/a Internal process between What is a partner billing
are two parallel events invoice is generated and the LinkedIn and MSFT agent is used?
Reporting customer receives a welcome
email to provision the service

Anniversary Mid-Term/Anniversary The order will go through the n/a Update Order flow is same as
Orders; ROC/LIR and follow the same a net new, w/ the exception
order / updates process as a net new order that the order type is marked
Customer can place mid-
as ‘Add-On’
term/Anniversary orders

Support At launch, LinkedIn will be Level 1 Dynamics support by Route support request through LinkedIn responsible for all
responsible for Sales MSFT for D365 Partner Center/Partner Sales Navigator support
Navigator support. Manager/via normal MSFT
Issues that come through MS
support process – MSFT
CSS – MSFT sends email to
support (CSS) to escalate to
LinkedIn -converts into a
LinkedIn as needed for SN
LinkedIn Support ticket
support

Renewal / Renewal orders will follow the Orders adhere to standard EA n/a LSS rep will be engaged
same order flow as a net new ordering processes for new,
Cancelations order except the order type mid-term, anniversary and
will be “renewal” renewal orders and
cancellation