Microsoft announced Partner of the Year award winners this week for Microsoft Dynamics partners worldwide. For the first year, Microsoft recognized companies based on their industry expertise, with Columbus IT winning global Retail Partner of the Year honors, as well as securing finalist spots in two additional categories: Manufacturing Partner of the Year and Distribution Partner of the Year. “Being named either the best or one of two finalists across three award categories is truly a remarkable achievement,” remarked Doug Kennedy, Vice President Microsoft Dynamics Partners. “The level of customer and vertical focus and commitment displayed by Columbus IT is truly appreciated by Microsoft.”  

Reflecting their commitment to providing industry-specific solutions to the market, Microsoft introduced the industry awards to recognize the top resellers in each of five sectors. Columbus IT was the most decorated company among the pool of 2000+ applicants in the Microsoft Partner Program in this inaugural year of Microsoft’s industry awards.

“We are really pleased to receive this recognition from Microsoft,” commented Claus Hansen, Columbus IT CEO. “Over the past couple of years we have made great strides in becoming a highly focused organization across the industries where we have world class solutions. We see this as critical for success going forward. Discerning customers are demanding that solutions meet their specific business challenges, yet take less time and expense to implement. We have been able to bring this value to our customers through our retail, manufacturing and distribution solutions that combine our own award-winning IP and the best platform in the industry – Microsoft Dynamics.”

Columbus IT’s Retail Chain Manager (RCM) is part of an end-to-end integrated solution for specialty retailers who are looking for a “single version of the truth” when it comes to the data they need to effectively run their businesses. Developed for Microsoft Dynamics AX, RCM offers extended back office functionality that provides greater control over merchandise and assortment planning, pricing and promotions, supply chain and store management. RCM manages all store-related information and flows centrally within Dynamics AX, while providing individual stores with the flexibility to manage their own pricing, campaigns, purchasing and sales.

Customers can choose to implement a base system built upon Microsoft Dynamics AX, with RCM – developed by Columbus IT’s software development house, To-Increase – or build upon that foundation with advanced merchandise planning, advance warehouse, business intelligence, e-commerce, multi-channel sales and CRM. This, combined with RCM’s ability to interface to multiple POS systems, gives Columbus IT a complete, scalable offering for the retail industry.

“Retail Chain Manager meets all our requirements,” says Team Sportia IT Manager Richard Westerlund. Team Sportia, one of Sweden’s largest sporting goods retailers, uses their retail solution to gain greater insight into operations and improve information flow from back office to each store. Along with other Columbus IT retail customers like Chanel, Spar Kjop and BoConcept, the improved information flow from an integrated retail system has helped optimize business processes and reduce errors, enabling them to provide the right merchandise in the right quantities to the right places at the right time.

In the manufacturing sector, Columbus IT provides industry-specific solutions for industrial equipment, discrete, food and chemical process manufacturing. For distribution companies, Columbus IT caters to the food industry as well as providing advanced distribution solutions for complex distribution environments where a greater depth of functionality is required in supply chain management.
These award-winning solutions, along with the industry expertise that Columbus IT brings to its customers, sum up why Columbus IT has earned the honors received this year from Microsoft.