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What is Delve? | 7 benefits of Delve for businesses

Posted on January 14, 2019April 14, 2020 by QuoStar

What is Delve?

Delve is a file hub, collaboration space and enterprise social network built using the Microsoft Graph and included in Office 365.

When trying to boil down a complex piece of software into its core functions, sometimes words fail to convey enough information. So if that previous description didn’t mean anything to, here’s an analogy instead: Delve is like a cupboard which intelligently and automatically fills itself with things from other cupboards. You might have the people cupboard where you store your co-workers (not literally, just their details), your file cupboard where you store your documents and a sharing cupboard where your co-workers put files they want you to have access to.

Whenever you open the main cupboard, Delve fills it with documents it thinks will be useful to you based on a range of criteria. If what you want isn’t in there, you can filter the contents of the cupboard to find it, otherwise, you can take out your file and get to work. Alternatively, you can look for people in the main cupboard and Delve will fill it with your co-worker’s details, a personal bio and other important information about what they’re doing and how to contact them.

Whilst the cupboard analogy may not be perfect, it hopefully gives you an idea of what Delve is for. If the cupboard analogy has failed you, then perhaps describing Delve as the online, cloud-enabled File Explorer v2 will fare better.

It’s important to note that a common concern with Delve is that it since all your files are accessible through Delve, all your files are surely stored on a Delve server. This is not the case. Going back to the cupboard analogy, when you open the main Delve cupboard all your files appear inside but are still in their respective cupboards. The Delve cupboard is simply a collation of the sources of your files and a collection of links to the sources. This means security or regulatory concerns over files being stored on an external Delve server can be dismissed.

What are the benefits of Delve for businesses?

Privacy as default:

Unlike social networks such as Facebook where the default is to expose all your pictures and posts to your social group, Delve keeps things private unless you specify you want the content to be shared. Granular control is given to users, allowing them to dictate who gets to see their files, keeping company information safe.

By default, a file on Delve has the same access permissions to where it’s stored. For instance, if you have a file stored on a private folder, only you will be able to see and access it through Delve. Alternatively, if you have a file stored in a shared OneDrive folder then only you and the people the folder is shared with will be able to see and access it.

Files and other sensitive information is kept private by default.

A cloud application:

Delve is accessed through a web browser such as Chrome, Safari or Edge which means as long as you have an Internet connection, you can access the program. This is particularly valuable for remote workers as they gain just as much value from the software as an in-office employee does.

Boards:

Boards is a feature in Delve that works much like a tagging system. Clicking the little stack icon underneath a document allows you to add it to a board of your choosing. This system of using tags instead of folders gives Delve two distinct advantages:

Firstly, it allows for a document to be in two places at once without having to create a copy of the file – improving navigation speeds, enabling more logical file storage and making it easier to access important files.
Secondly, it prevents long folder chains which are often slow to navigate and can be awkward to use when trying to find a single specific file.

An example of a board containing some files

Boards allow files to be sorted and located much easier and allow for collaborative areas where many people can contribute files to a project

User profiles:

The enterprise social media platform aspect of Delve comes through most prominently in its user profile section. Profiles allow Delve users to include their contact details, a short bio, a list of projects being worked on, skills and expertise, schools and education and interests and hobbies which combine to give a good idea of the person whose profile you’re looking at.

Whilst the value of this feature for a large business is clear, in a small business where everyone knows each other it may not seem so useful. However, there are many cases where it comes in handy. The projects and skills and expertise sections in particular can be used to find out what everyone is currently working on as well as who would be the best person to ask for advice if you need help with your own projects.

An example of what users can enter about themself. contact details, a bio, projects, skills and expertise, schools and education and interests and hobbies

Users can enter a variety of information about themselves on their profile.

Built on the Microsoft Graph:

Microsoft Graph is a collation of activities and content collected from user actions across the Office suite. It allows for more personalised content to be displayed and syncs data across multiple Microsoft programs.

This means that using Delve alongside other Microsoft products provides further advantages and integrations. For example, Yammer conversations can appear in the list of content cards and can be pinned to your own boards and your recently accessed files appear more prominently on your documents page of Delve.

By integrating the data and user actions from across multiple programs Delve is able to provide a more personalised user-centric experience.

Intelligent search:

Rather than just looking at a document’s title, the search feature in Delve additionally scans the contents of a document for your search terms as well. This is particularly useful for when searching for a document someone else has made and shared with you, but you don’t know the title of.

Delve’s search function also lets you search by people, allowing you to look at their profile and see any documents they have shared with you alongside their details.

How to get Delve for your business

If you’re interested in getting Delve, it’s included freely within certain Office 365 licenses. If your business is yet to adopt Office 365, see our blog post on the topic to discover some of the great features you’re missing out on.

What is Yammer? | 8 benefits of Yammer for businesses

Posted on January 7, 2019April 14, 2020 by QuoStar

What is Yammer?

Yammer is Microsoft’s take on a Facebook-esque social platform tailored for use in a business environment. Before you take this parallel too literally, it’s important to add that using the Facebook comparison brings some unwanted connotations and further clarification is needed to get a genuine picture of what Yammer can do for businesses.

Yammer, unlike Facebook, is a private social platform and the scope of the network is, rather than the whole world, just your organisation. The Facebook comparison works strongest when it comes to Yammer’s user interface and feature set, with many users likely finding familiarity in the layout and tools which are given to them: instant messaging, an update feed, @mentions, likes, groups, polls, hashtags, and announcements.

For the full picture, it’s also important to state that Yammer is one of the enterprise tools included within Office 365 and is a self-described “outer-loop” communication tool. Allowing users to engage with co-workers they rarely see or talk to from across the organisation.

Should I use Yammer or Teams?

With there being so many collaboration tools in Office 365, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the range of options available. At an incredibly basic and simplified level, Yammer is for sending a message or announcement to large groups of people and Teams is for sending messages to individuals or smaller, more tightly knit groups.

Of course, this dichotomy only looks at using Yammer’s and Teams’ messaging functions and when comparing each program as a whole, it’s apparent that they both fulfil very distinct roles outside of their chat features.

For maximum business impact, you should be using both Yammer and Teams because each program offers various exclusive features the other doesn’t. However, to determine which program to use when sending a message the above breakdown is a good rule to follow.

What are the benefits of Yammer for businesses?

Builds better relationships

By enabling continuous communication, Yammer lets employees feel more connected and unified, even if they’re in different departments or office buildings. This helps them create stronger teams and makes working towards a common goal far simpler.

Additionally, through utilising group announcements and Yammer’s in-built praise feature, the latest achievements of staff members can be celebrated by everyone. Allowing a well-performing employee to be acknowledged for their hard work.

The praise feature allows employee achievements to be celebrated.

Effective knowledge sharing

Employees can gain meaningful answers to important questions by quickly and easily communicating with colleagues. Whether it’s asking for some details on a client, double-checking a meeting time or getting advice from more experienced staff, it can all be done through Yammer.

Improves employee engagement

By giving every employee the ability to be involved with company discussions, Yammer lets people feel more engaged with their company. More engaged employees are more productive, less likely to be distracted and are more likely to stay with the business. Making Yammer a powerful tool to have.

Yammer also has a multitude of options for engagement, including opinion polls, open questions and casual public chatrooms for a Friday afternoon.

Polls can help improve employee engagement and provide feedback on how to improve the business.

Familiar layout

Many pieces of software are obtuse and require long periods of time to learn how to use effectively. Yammer on the other hand is instantly familiar to anyone who has used Facebook, Twitter or any type of online chatroom.

With a gentle and short learning curve, Yammer delivers immediate value to any business and sustains this value throughout its lifetime through the power of its many features.

Live communication

Yammer allows for departments and offices to communicate with one another in a far more effective way than traditional communication tools. Email and board-room meetings have their uses but often aren’t sufficient or suitable.

Yammer uses more social-media-esque features to provide an instant and streamlined discussion between groups or individuals. Allowing teams to stay connected and fostering continual discussion to keep employees engaged.

Messaging is far more versatile and streamlined compared to email or meetings.

Versatile application:

Yammer is not only available for Windows, but also for Mac, Android and iPhone. Furthermore, Yammer can be accessed via any standard web browser, allowing employees to access the software without needing the dedicated application installed.

Being available over so many platforms and devices means that, regardless of your current hardware setup, Yammer provides value for your business. The addition of mobile applications also means just as much value is gained by remote workers or employees who are often travelling between sites.

Highly Integrated:

Yammer has integration capabilities with many other Office applications such as SharePoint and Skype for Business as well as external applications including Salesforce. It’s also possible to create custom integrations using the Yammer API.

In-built analytics:

Yammer has its own in-built analytics platform, enabling users or admins to monitor certain metrics such as how many messages are being posted, how many messages are being read and how active group members are.

This data can be used to check if everyone in the company saw an announcement or find out which groups are most popular with members for example.

Analytics show how employees are using the software and what benefits it’s bringing.

How to get Yammer for your business

If you’re interested in getting Yammer, it’s included freely within certain Office 365 licenses. If your business is yet to adopt Office 365, see our blog post to discover some of the great features you’re missing out on.

Why you should switch to Office 365

Posted on July 26, 2018April 29, 2021 by QuoStar

Microsoft’s Office has been a staple for businesses for many years and that’s not about to change. Office 365 is the name for the package which includes the suite of Microsoft’s core programs as well as a cloud service, letting you stay connected wherever you are.

But why should you switch to it? And what benefits can it bring to your business? Here’s a collection of features in Office 365 that can change the way you work.

The benefits of Office 365

Gain access to the latest software versions

With an active Office 365 for Business subscription, you gain access to the latest versions of the Office suite via regular and free updates. These updates include bug fixes, security patches, performance improvements and new features that add additional functionality to your software. A one-time purchase of Office doesn’t come with these benefits. And to gain access to an updated version of the package it must be purchased again.

Contains the whole Office Suite and more

Depending on your plan, an Office 365 subscription gives you a variety of useful programs on top of the basics of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher and Outlook. Programs like Teams let you set up a chat with co-workers, enabling working on the go from multiple locations. OneNote lets you type, draw and write down ideas then share them between devices. Skype for Business lets you set up video calls with clients and co-workers. And SharePoint lets you collaborate on files with co-workers using the cloud.

Cloud-based storage means access from anywhere

With Office 365 you can access all your programs and files anywhere that has an internet connection. You can work wherever you like and still have access to the full range of tools you need. Furthermore, with OneDrive you can view and edit important files from home, work or over Wi-Fi.

Layers of security

Office 365 offers a variety of security at every level meaning your files and data are always protected. This includes:

Demagnetisation and destruction of faulty hard disks in Microsoft data centres preventing data from being stolen from the discarded hardware.
Port scanning and intrusion detection systems deny malicious access to the servers your data is stored on, keeping them secure.
Data encryption during transit and rest combined with the ability to send encrypted emails ensuring your data and communications are private.
Configurable account privileges letting administrators limit access to critical systems to only those who need it.

However, security is only as strong as the weakest link, so ensure that your business is Cyber Essentials certified to know you have the basics covered regarding IT security.

Wide UK availability

Microsoft has two data centres within the UK located, one in London and one in Cardiff. Additionally, there are eight in Europe and many more in Asia, Africa and America. This means that almost no matter where you are, you’ll be in proximity to one of these data centres. This, combined with Office 365’s track record for an exceptional level of uptime, means that you’ll have access to the files you need, when you need them, wherever you are.

Includes web and desktop versions of the software

A common misconception about Office 365 is that it’s exclusively web-based. However, all Office 365 business plans (except the Essentials plan) include desktop versions of Office 2016 in addition to a web version. This gives you flexibility in the way that you work, so you can continue to access your offline files when working without internet access.

Simplifies collaboration and communication

Combining this real-time collaboration with one of the communication programs that Office 365 comes with such as Skype for Business, Teams or Yammer means you can easily set up video, audio and text chats between co-workers, offices or even organisations. With everyone up to date, work can be completed more efficiently which in turn improves the productivity of your business.

All in one system

Office 365 contains word processing, note-taking, spreadsheets and email all in one package. This greatly simplifies the number of subscriptions you need to take care of and can help reduce the overhead of handling multiple separate services. Having all your systems from the same supplier also means that there are many more integrations amongst the software such as scheduling Skype calls in Outlook, previewing spreadsheets in an email and linking OneNote notes to a task. All of which streamlines your work experience and boosts productivity.

Range of choices

Office 365 does not tie you to a single plan. So, depending on your business needs, you can have as many or as few features as you want. Plus, as a subscription service, you can more easily manage your budget and reduce the upfront cost of purchasing many one-time licences.

The overall flexibility and collaboration features enable you to be more agile with your workflow, improving productivity and performance. If you’re interested in finding out more, we not only offer Office 365 for business as a standalone package but also as a managed service where we remove the hassle of management and maintenance, letting you focus on what’s important for your business.

Microsoft Azure guide for IT professionals

Posted on August 16, 2017May 20, 2021 by Reece Scarley

Whether you’re considering cloud or are already utilising cloud services it’s likely you have heard of Microsoft Azure. This guide provides you with a high-level overview of the different applications, benefits and the potential drawbacks which you need to be aware of when considering Azure.

What is Microsoft Azure?

Microsoft Azure is Microsoft’s public cloud computing platform. It was introduced in October 2008 as Windows Azure but was later rebranded as Microsoft Azure in April 2014. It provides a range of cloud services, including those for compute, analysis, storage and networking, as well as cloud-based versions of enterprise Microsoft solutions such as Active Directory and SQL Server.

The platform is designed to allow businesses to have a way to easily build and manage customised applications and other services, which are then deployed on an enterprise-grade data centre that’s supported or managed by Microsoft.

As of November 2018, Azure is generally available in 54 regions around the world.

What services does Microsoft Azure provide?

The directory of Azure services is growing all the time so for the most up to date information it is recommended that you check their website. Below we have broken the services down into key types.

Compute – Including virtual machines, cloud apps, containers, batch schedules and APIs
Networking – Provision private networks, load balancing, VPN gateways, manage traffic and monitor network performance.
Storage – Includes cloud storage, blob storage, queue storage, file storage and disk storage as well as cloud backup and recovery.
Web and Mobile – These services allow you to do things like create and deploy cloud apps for web and mobile, automate access and use of data, build cloud APIs, send phs notifications and deliver content virtually to all devices
Containers – Including container registry, container instances, and service fabric and container server
Databases – These services include managed SQL database and managed MySQL database as a service, data transformation and movement and Azure Cosmo DB.

Data & Analytics – Among others things, these services allow you to build, deploy and manage predictive analytics solutions, create interactive data visualisation and manage data transformation,
AI and Cognitive Services – Includes a range of APIs such as emotion recognition, facial detection, computer vision and speech conversion.
Internet of Things – These services help users to capture, monitor and analyse IoT data from sensors and other devices.
Enterprise Integration – Enables users to connect cloud environments and automate the access and use of data.
Security and Identity – Manage Azure deployment, schedule and run jobs and create automation. Identify and respond to security threats,
Developer Tools – Collaborate with other users, create environments and detect, triage and diagnose issues within web apps and services.
Monitoring and Management – Monitor, manage, analyse and automate your Azure resources.

What are the benefits of Microsoft Azure?

Fast – Azure is fast to deploy, operate and scale.
Easy Transition – Typically easier to use “out-of-box” and more user-friendly. This, alongside the fact that Azure virtual machines integrate with other Microsoft products, generally makes the transition to cloud infrastructure smoother.
Security – Microsoft holds a number of security accreditations including ISO/IEC 27018, iso 27001, ISO 9001, Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) STAR Self-Assessment, ITAR, HIPAA and the HITECH Act, FEDRamp and IRS 1075. With Azure, you also have complete control of the collection, access, use and distribution of your company data, as well as complete visibility and control over data storage and access.
Development – Microsoft regularly adds new features and solutions to Azure’s directory.
Agile – Enables businesses to develop, test, feedback and retry when developing applications without expensive outlay or complicated infrastructure.
Global Reach – Azure is currently available in 38 global regions, with a further 4 planned.
Scalable – Microsoft Azure can typically be leveraged for any size business, from a start-up right up to enterprise level organisation.
Flexible – Like other cloud service providers, Azure offers the ability to instantly provision computing resources on demand.
Fully Integrated – Contains many elements beyond storage, including a unified delivery pipeline, IoT integrations and a development environment. Azure is also closely integrated with other Microsoft tools such as SharePoint, Office 365 and Outlook.
Protected – Azure has regional and global fail over options, hot and cold standby models as well as rolling reboot capabilities.
Compliant – For tightly regulated industries like financial services, Azure is compliant with regulations.
Deployment – You can deploy Azure anywhere, whether that’s your own data centre or a single model to deploy on-premise and to the cloud.
Reduced IT Costs – Helps you to reduce costs typically associated with expanding infrastructure.

Potential drawbacks of Microsoft Azure

Many consider Microsoft to be one of the top three public cloud platform providers, alongside Google and Amazon. However, that doesn’t mean their platform is perfect.

Downtime

Azure does have a reputation for being difficult to manage, but one of the biggest issues is downtime. CloudHarmony reported that, during the course of 2017, Azure experienced a total of 740 minutes of downtime, compared to Amazon Web Services which experienced 205 minutes and Google which experienced a total of 11 minutes.

Microsoft has experienced several significant periods of downtime throughout 2018. Back in June, Microsoft’s Azure cloud went down for eleven hours, affecting customers in North Europe, due to an underlying temperature issue in one of the datacentres in the region. Microsoft also experienced a further lengthy outage in September when a severe lightning storm in the San Antonio area disrupted the power supply to the data centre in the region and knocked the cooling systems offlines, damaging a ‘significant amount’ of equipment. The issues affected anyone with workloads in the South Central US data centre as well as customers worldwide who were using Active Directory and Visual Studio Team Services, for more than 24 hours. However, no data was lost during this period as engineers decided to prioritise preserving customer data instead of moving customers over to another data centre, which could of results in the loss of some data, according to a report from Microsoft.

Although the amount of downtime looks shocking, it is important not to take these findings completely at face value. Microsoft has previously stated that the reason their average downtime can look disproportionate is due to the fact that they operate in such a high number of regions across the world, far more than other providers. They argue that when looking at average uptime across regions Azure reliability is “in line with that of the other cloud providers measured”.

Management

Azure also requires a certain level of management, including patching and server monitoring, to ensure optimal performance. It may be “user-friendly” and easy to set up, but at a management level, it requires some expertise to ensure that all parts work together efficiently. Of course, one way to obtain this level of expertise – and simultaneously reduce the burden of management – is to engage with a managed service provider who has experience in managing and operating cloud infrastructures.

Conclusion

For many businesses, cloud computing is a perfect tool for moving a business forward. Providing access to advanced technologies and infrastructure without the associated cost of on-site resources. Deciding which cloud platform is right for you comes down to your needs. Although the cost of using the cloud is a big concern, that alone shouldn’t inform your decision making. Many providers offer a free trial so you can experience what each platform is like hands-on.

Another option to consider is to opt for a private managed cloud. With this approach, you receive all the benefits of the public cloud, such as agility, scalability and efficiency, but with greater levels of security, control and flexibility as you will have a dedicated, single-tenant environment. Furthermore, choosing a reputable third-party provider to manage your cloud environment removes the burden of responsibility for hardware and data centre operations, allowing businesses to focus on the applications which run their operations.

Images from Microsoft

Threats and solutions to the end of Windows Server 2003 support

Posted on June 22, 2015April 15, 2020 by QuoStar

Generally, you haven’t moved away from Windows Server 2003 because a critical and extremely complex piece of internal software relies on it, or due to budget constraints. There are a few other reasons, but chances are that you are simply being negligent and putting your business at risk for the sake of saving a few £s. If you are ignoring the end-of-support warning due to financial concerns, then you are playing a dangerous game. In fact, if you are unfortunate, a savage enough attack could cripple your business or even put it under – and that’s not scare-mongering.

You will notice a few security vendors stating that they can protect you whilst you still run Windows Server 2003, but generally, this isn’t really the case as the weak link often comes in a process or a person. Also, if they were all so good we wouldn’t have any viruses or exploits, would we?

So, if you are in a difficult situation, where do the real threats lie?

The server faces the Internet directly, i.e. many hosting companies give a customer a server with a live Internet address (IP) on it. The customer then installs a software firewall on top of the Windows 2003 operating system.
The server indirectly faces the Internet, i.e. it’s connected through some sort of physical/virtual firewall, i.e. the server is acting as a web server, client portal, FTP server, etc. Even if the firewall has advanced intrusion prevention the risk is significant.
The server is not accessed from the outside world but initiates communications,e.g. it is a Terminal Server/Citrix server, proxy server, etc. The threat comes from the server hitting a website with malicious code and fires an exploit that compromises that server and the LAN/WAN it sits on.
The server sits on an open LAN with other network devices, such as PCs, laptops and other servers. Although these other machines may not be able to be infected – they can still potentially pass on ‘an infection’ to an unprotected Windows 2003 server.
The server has other devices plugged into it at times, i.e. USB storage devices. The risks are lower here but still real.

There are other risks but these are the main ones and the most significant. Over the coming months, the risks to Windows Server 2003 are going to be pretty large as hackers and the like hold back exploits until the support ends. The flames will burn brightly for say 6-9 months and then slowly taper off as the easy prey has been picked off and the bandits look for new pickings.

If you have left it too late to switch from Windows Server 2003 then what are the key things you can do to protect your environment?

Don’t connect it to the Internet directly or indirectly.
Segregate it via the normal LAN via a VLAN and/or a firewall device.
Any connections to it from internal pass through an intrusion protection firewall.
Don’t plug any external devices into it.
Plan to migrate services from Windows Server 2003.

The important thing to do is plan to protect services as soon as possible, then get your plan ready. Depending on the size of your environment, it’s unlikely to be a straightforward task, so you should probably start planning now or bring in a consultant quickly. You need to take a number of factors into account as a bare minimum. Here a few generic ones to get you thinking about the implications.

The implications

Will your existing hardware support new operating systems and/or software?
Do your IT staff need training to roll-out and manage the new operating systems and/or software?
How will you overcome any compatibility issues?
Will your other applications work on the new operating systems and/or software?
Will your 3rd party application vendors support their applications on a new platform?
How long will it take to test everything?
Will you need to train other employees to use the new operating systems and/or software?
What resource will you need to roll out the new operating systems and/or software?
How long will it take to roll the new software out?
What are your other options? Could you go thin-client? Could you go to the cloud?
What do you need to budget for?

If you’ve been avoiding a move due to expense then remember that everything can be turned into an OpEx. This does help financing and budgeting immensely. You can go for a fully managed cloud, your own private cloud, or simply replace servers and software in-house. You can also finance development work and consultancy and wrap it into a monthly payment.

Running Windows Server 2003 past the end of support will likely leave you open to regulatory issues. It will also leave you open to a lot of issues from an insurance perspective should a breach happen. Also, how about the embarrassment of your breach in the press? I know I’ve been quite strong in my views here on a bit here, but this has been on the radar for years, there is no excuse.

Not taking action now is simply like knowing the spare bedroom window won’t close properly. Chances are at some point someone’s coming through it.

Robert Rutherford – CEO of QuoStar

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QuoStar gets gold partner green lights from Microsoft

Posted on August 15, 2011October 14, 2020 by QuoStar

For the third year running, Bournemouth and London based IT Services provider QuoStar has achieved a full flush of Green Lights in a recent Microsoft Gold Partner Customer Satisfaction Index survey.

Microsoft Gold Partners are judged on a number of criteria in five key performance areas that measure customer satisfaction. TNS, one of the world’s largest market research companies, administers the survey independently, on behalf of Microsoft.

TNS talked to QuoStar’s clients to determine the level of satisfaction. The survey generates a score in each area, which is compared to the average for all Gold Partners. A higher than average score results in a green light on the Microsoft ‘Dashboard’. QuoStar achieved all five green lights.

Currently, participation in the Microsoft customer survey is voluntary. However, QuoStar has been happy to engage since becoming a Gold Partner. “We had no hesitation in signing up for it from our very first year after securing Gold accreditation back in 2006. It’s right that they talk to our clients; now we know it was our customers who decided we’d made the grade again,” says a delighted Rob Rutherford, CEO of QuoStar.

Its importance is not lost on the QuoStar team. “For a start, it helps us understand and act on customer satisfaction and loyalty information, and to remain competitive by benchmarking our industry performance,” Rutherford explains. “Had the survey picked up any weaknesses or areas of customer dissatisfaction, we’d be able to put things right immediately. As it didn’t, it shows us that we’re delivering what our clients want, which hopefully makes it important to them as well.”

Microsoft states that Gold Certified Partners “…represent the highest level of competence and expertise with Microsoft technologies and have the closest working relationship with Microsoft.”. Rutherford and his team see participation by customers as an advantage that ensures QuoStar maintains this ‘highest level of competence’.

Microsoft’s five key performance areas are NSAT (Net Satisfaction Rating ), customer segmentation, revenue impact, customer loyalty and overall performance. They have now decided to mandate the survey for Gold Partners every year, something that Rutherford looks forward to. “I’m keen to see how some of our so-called competitors measure up,” he added wryly.