As a tech company and leader in payroll and HR software, PaySpace has always used Microsoft technology at its core for development and language. Microsoft speaks to Microsoft, which is why when it came to the cloud, Microsoft Azure was the logical and most compelling choice. 

“Since we are no longer servicing Africa alone, but are also expanding into Brazil, we needed a truly global partner that could help us launch in data centres across the world,” says Heinrich Swanepoel, Head of Sales at PaySpace. 

The PaySpace and Microsoft partnership was a natural way forward for both parties. With Microsoft already servicing a large segment of the accounting and HR market, PaySpace offers the opportunity to service the Microsoft community on a payroll level as well. 

As for the benefits of using Azure, Swanepoel says the two most attractive perks are definitely scalability and security. “Azure gives organisations the ability to rapidly deploy anywhere, without ever having to worry about hardware. Before PaySpace, organisations had the hassle of having to procure servers, these days, all they need to run their payroll is an internet connection and a browser.” 

Security, Swanepoel says, has been top of CIOs’ minds for years. “It is a major issue. Concerns about confidential or proprietary data being leaked are very real. Barely a day goes by without some or other news about another major breach featuring in the headlines. Nowhere is this more of a concern than when it comes to payroll data, which by its very nature is highly sensitive. No employee leaves their payslip lying around at the mercy of prying eyes. Microsoft has world class security that can’t be beat. Their standards and certification are of the highest level possible, so for us, partnering with them made perfect sense.” 

“When we initially moved onto Azure in August, it was a seamless transition. We have seen the benefits for our customers. PaySpace is a technology company that is constantly growing, and we have only scraped the surface of companies wanting to migrate to the cloud. The first question a new customer asks when embarking on a cloud journey is where we are hosted. There is massive confidence in the marketplace around Azure; the name instantly conjures up peace of mind and credibility.” 

Speaking of how the partnership works, Swanepoel says it has been an exciting journey. “There was a natural synergy there, and a link that made sense. PaySpace is an independent software vendor (ISV), and through the partnership PaySpace can sell through the Microsoft AppSource Marketplace.”

Users of the AppSource Marketplace can search for the solutions they need that run on Azure and are built on the Microsoft technology stack. 

“Our partnership is mutually beneficial. PaySpace aims to gain market share, which in turn will drive consumption for Microsoft. By collaborating, we can reach a far wider audience where we can both drive the solution. It’s a win-win for both partners.” 

So what is next for the partnership? According to Swanepoel, PaySpace is now Co-sell ready. “Microsoft’s IP Co-sell programme can be used to work directly with Microsoft sellers on joint selling opportunities. Selling through Commercial Marketplace, in turn, unlocks significant additional commercial and brand exposure benefits.” 

The programme is available for software solutions that are built with the company’s intellectual property as repeatable, packaged offers and for services that have Microsoft technology embedded in them. The majority of solutions that are part of the Co-sell programme are also available in the marketplace, and solutions that meet Microsoft’s additional requirements become what is called ‘IP Co-sell ready’.   

These solutions, he explains, are exposed to Microsoft field sellers, which helps the ISV reach a wide community of Microsoft managed customers to collaborate on sales opportunities. This accelerates business growth and eventually presents new opportunities to take the organisation to the next level.

Swanepoel says the next step would be for PaySpace to achieve Microsoft Gold Partner status, meaning the company can collaborate better and closer with Microsoft. “Our intention is for PaySpace solutions to become synonymous with Microsoft as a complementary product to the solutions they already offer.”

Finally, Swanepoel says this partnership with Microsoft presents a particular opportunity. “We aim to showcase our uniqueness on Azure and prove that PaySpace packs a punch.”