Upgrading communications systems can feel like building a puzzle with missing pieces. Should a business buy separate phone systems? How do AI features become practical rather than experimental? For many small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), the ideal solution is a single, integrated platform that can adapt as their needs evolve.
When California-based managed service provider (MSP) ProTelesis set out to build its own branded cloud communications service, it faced the same challenge – finding a platform that could integrate with Microsoft Teams while still giving the provider control over the customer experience. That’s exactly where Intermedia’s partner-first approach makes a difference.
Jonathan McCormick, chief operating officer and chief revenue officer at Intermedia, explains that the company’s philosophy is straightforward: empower partners so they can, in turn, empower SMBs. “Being partner-first isn’t a slogan,” he says. “It’s how we’ve operated for 20 years, delivering cloud IT and communications services to SMBs through the channel.”
Intermedia keeps partners in control, enabling them to advise, sell and manage customers without worrying about being undercut.
“We don’t compete against our partners for end customers,” says McCormick. “Instead, partners choose the engagement model that fits – whether they want to lead with advisory services, provide full customer ownership, or align to a service provider model.”
This commitment to partners comes to life through tools such as Intermedia’s Partner Portal, which provides quoting capabilities and guidance throughout the upgrade process. Combined with support from Intermedia’s technical team, the platform helps partners select and implement the services they need.
“Our partners include MSPs modernising their communications stack, value-added resellers (VARs) expanding into cloud collaboration and service providers transitioning from legacy infrastructure to a scalable cloud model,” says McCormick. “Many have deep local relationships with SMBs and want to expand their portfolio without the burden of building or maintaining communications infrastructure.”
Intermedia’s platform is designed to help all these partners grow while maintaining ownership of customer relationships, an important differentiator in a channel often plagued by vendor conflict.
Partners also gain access to a resilient, cloud-native system that can stand alone or integrate into broader IT ecosystems, according to McCormick. For example, in Microsoft Teams environments, Intermedia provides a fully embedded experience that integrates unified-communications-as-a-service (UCaaS), contact centre as a service (CCaaS), archiving and compliance capabilities directly within the Teams interface, helping reduce the friction of managing multiple tools.
“Not all partners operate the same way,” adds McCormick. “Some seek turnkey solutions they can deploy quickly; others want deep integration into managed services environments; service providers may require maximum control over packaging and operations. Intermedia’s platform accommodates these paths with flexible deployment options and management tools.”
AI is also becoming a more common topic in conversations with SMB customers. McCormick says partners can play an important role in helping organisations identify where AI features are most useful, and in ensuring those features are deployed responsibly and in line with business goals.
“Many SMBs are still determining where AI fits within their operations, and partners are critical in translating AI capabilities into meaningful business outcomes. Together, Intermedia and our partners can help SMBs adopt AI practically, improving productivity and customer experience without adding complexity.”
Partners can flexibly deploy Intermedia solutions however they want – whether it’s quick turnkey setups or deeply integrated managed services.
“They can bundle UCaaS and CCaaS into managed offerings, integrate into existing productivity environments, or tailor solutions for specific industries,” says McCormick. “Behind the scenes, Intermedia provides centralised provisioning, unified management and operational tools needed to support customers at scale.”
Importantly, Intermedia’s support for partners goes beyond technology. The company provides sales enablement, marketing resources, structured onboarding programmes, and ongoing training and certifications designed to help partners succeed throughout the customer lifecycle. Combined with technical and operational support, these resources help partners accelerate time to market and build long-term customer success.
The proof of the partner-first model is in the results. For example, one MSP initially focused on voice services. Using Intermedia’s platform, they expanded into full UCaaS and contact centre offerings, increasing recurring revenue while strengthening long-term customer relationships.
Service providers transitioning off ageing on-premises systems also benefit. Rather than making heavy capital investments, they can move to a scalable cloud model that accelerates time to market and improves profitability. AI capabilities, such as automated summaries, sentiment analysis and real-time contact centre assistance, add further value when partners help SMBs implement them thoughtfully.
The result is strong long-term retention. “Customers get both a dependable platform and a partner who stays accountable for success,” says McCormick.
For SMBs, working with a partner leveraging Intermedia solutions combines the best of both worlds: a trusted local advisor who understands their business, backed by a robust cloud platform. Customers avoid the operational complexity of stitching together separate tools for voice, contact centre, compliance and collaboration.
AI adoption becomes manageable too. With Intermedia’s AI capabilities embedded across the platform and delivered through experienced partners, SMBs can move from experimentation to practical use cases, improving productivity, enhancing customer interactions and gaining actionable insights from everyday conversations.
Looking ahead, partnerships are becoming increasingly strategic. As communications intersect with collaboration, security and AI-driven insight, SMBs don’t just need tools – they need to see outcomes.
Intermedia’s integrated platform supports this trend by simplifying transformation. Partners don’t have to stitch together multiple vendors or contend with channel conflicts; instead, they can focus on helping SMBs adopt cloud communications and AI in ways that deliver real business value.
“The strongest partnerships will be built on shared accountability: a dependable platform, a strong partner model, and expert support to ensure consistent, excellent customer experiences,” says McCormick.
Ultimately, the ‘better together’ story is what sets Intermedia and its partners apart.
“It’s built on alignment and trust,” says McCormick. “Intermedia provides secure, scalable technology and our partners bring local expertise and long-term customer relationships.”
This model resonates because it mirrors how SMBs buy and adopt technology today: they want modern cloud communications and AI capabilities, but they often rely on trusted advisors to guide deployment, integration and ongoing optimisation. Together, Intermedia and its partners deliver that combination with an integrated platform, a comprehensive Partner Portal and a support organisation designed to help partners succeed at every stage of the customer lifecycle.
Discover more insights in the Spring 2026 issue of Technology Record. Don’t miss out – subscribe for free today and get future issues delivered straight to your inbox.