Inspire 2017 was a week of “shock and awe,” says Steve Mordue of RapidStart CRM, who spoke to us on the final day of Microsoft’s conference.

It was a good week. Mordue believes that the One Commercial Partner model allows Microsoft CVP Ron Huddleston to pull the trigger on his sales vision. And it will be a boon for Dynamics partners – if they are willing to evolve. Microsoft’s vision has no place for the “general purpose” partner who just wants to implement. Aggressive partners will be all over AppSource, and make themselves known on the Partner Center.

Customers are evolving as well, and are no longer willing to let the head of IT make ERP and CRM purchase decisions. Decision makers are looking for rich capabilities, in apps versus suites, and want to find them on AppSource.

In this episode of the podcast, Mordue and MSDynamicsWorld Editor Jason Gumpert discuss:

• What partners can expect from One Commercial Partner and Ron Huddleston
• Microsoft’s demand for IP partners with deep vertical expertise
• The new sales model; say goodbye to the old-fashioned account rep
• Why SMB partners should be encouraged by the reorg
• Why partners must have an AppSource strategy
• The new Partner Center; partners must go there to be “surfaced”
• Dynamics 365 Business edition; much in demand, still fuzzy-edged
• How AppSource is the “stickiness engine” for Power BI, Dynamics and Office 365