Akins IT is Microsoft Customer Immersion Experience Certified!

I spent a week in LA, away from the regular hustle and bustle at Akins IT to get Microsoft Customer Immersion Experience [CIE] certified. I'm happy I did. My major take away wasn't around any particular feature, but rather the style and delivery methods that can be used to showcase the ideas behind the new modern workplace in Microsoft 365.

It's one thing to talk about stuff like Teams, Skype, OneDrive, transitioning between apps, co-authoring, etc. and another thing entirely to actually take someone through it in live fashion.

What this means is that Microsoft can now provide Akins IT with kits of Surface Books, Surface Pros and additional devices so that we can give our customers and prospects a hands-on live look at what Microsoft 365 can do in a well-configured environment. This isn't my peers and I walking you through a PowerPoint deck. You get a Windows machine, a persona for the day and access to a rich, live environment where you can be trigger happy and nothing will break.

The CIE is a great tool for those who:

• Want to see Microsoft 365 in action, fully adopted
• Build excitement in their own company about Windows 10, Office and modern collaboration
• Allow key decision makers access to the platform for Executive sponsorship
• Host a platform vs platform discussion where Microsoft is one of the candidate solutions [why wouldn't t it be???]
• Are looking to maximize their own use of the platform, are already customers and need to push adoption
• Want to get their hands on the new Microsoft devices

For our friends in education, both K12 and Higher Ed - there is a specially catered version of this hands-on experience which showcases some the key classroom concepts. We are hosting an EDU session in January. Details soon on this.

If you are looking at Microsoft licensing, renewing an EA, looking for a Microsoft partner or just plain curious - we can help. Another big perk with this certification is that Microsoft is letting us book their local and regional offices to host these sessions.

Feel free to contact us to setup a private CIE for your company, or stay tuned to learn about the sessions we will host at the Microsoft campuses in Irvine and LA and at Akins IT HQ, also in Irvine. In the meantime - I am including a link to the hands-on Security labs we are already running. See below.

Big thanks to Chris Mandarano, our trainer for the week who never deviated from his commitment to imparting the important skillset required to deliver these sessions. Thank you Chris!