Comments on: Microsoft Channel Chief Launches New Partner Network http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/07/13/microsoft-channel-chief-launches-new-partner-network/ Channel News, Reseller News and Channel Partner Programs Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:00:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Matt Landis http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/07/13/microsoft-channel-chief-launches-new-partner-network/comment-page-1/#comment-103993 Matt Landis Wed, 15 Jul 2009 03:03:40 +0000 http://www.thevarguy.com/?p=3878#comment-103993 Hello, If you count the current competencies and specializations there are about 15. GOLD certified partners are required to do customer satisfaction surveys this year for the first time. Our team is busy working on them as the partner conference is in progress so it is interesting to see this is part of a new focus. As a growing ms gold partner we used to groan at new requirements but as we look back most of them made us better. So I'm a little slow to critice... ;-) matt http://dynamicssmallbusiness.blogspot.com/ Hello,

If you count the current competencies and specializations there are about 15.

GOLD certified partners are required to do customer satisfaction surveys this year for the first time. Our team is busy working on them as the partner conference is in progress so it is interesting to see this is part of a new focus.

As a growing ms gold partner we used to groan at new requirements but as we look back most of them made us better. So I’m a little slow to critice… ;-)

matt
http://dynamicssmallbusiness.blogspot.com/

]]> By: The VAR Guy http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/07/13/microsoft-channel-chief-launches-new-partner-network/comment-page-1/#comment-103982 The VAR Guy Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:16:36 +0000 http://www.thevarguy.com/?p=3878#comment-103982 Scott: Always good to have your perspectives represented. Funny how Cisco a few weeks ago said it was focusing on roughly 30 new market opportunities. Now, we've got Microsoft stating that it will have 30 competencies. Hmmm. Coincidence? The VAR Guy needs to investigate more. Bob: Sounds like Microsoft partners will also be measured on how early they get certified on an emerging technology. Sorry our resident blogger doesn't have more details for you yet. But he did shoot some quick video of a press conference featuring Watson answering a few key questions. Video to follow soon. Scott: Always good to have your perspectives represented. Funny how Cisco a few weeks ago said it was focusing on roughly 30 new market opportunities. Now, we’ve got Microsoft stating that it will have 30 competencies. Hmmm. Coincidence? The VAR Guy needs to investigate more.

Bob: Sounds like Microsoft partners will also be measured on how early they get certified on an emerging technology. Sorry our resident blogger doesn’t have more details for you yet. But he did shoot some quick video of a press conference featuring Watson answering a few key questions. Video to follow soon.

]]> By: Bob Raffo http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/07/13/microsoft-channel-chief-launches-new-partner-network/comment-page-1/#comment-103981 Bob Raffo Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:31:20 +0000 http://www.thevarguy.com/?p=3878#comment-103981 Should be interesting - but will it result in a real change in focus? Traditionally Microsoft partners are measured based on licenses sold. So the emphasis was on selling seats - not solutions. As Microsoft comes to grips with the ever changing economics of software sales - will Microsoft begin to value system integrators as do SAP and Oracle? Should be interesting – but will it result in a real change in focus? Traditionally Microsoft partners are measured based on licenses sold. So the emphasis was on selling seats – not solutions. As Microsoft comes to grips with the ever changing economics of software sales – will Microsoft begin to value system integrators as do SAP and Oracle?

]]> By: Scott Lewis http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/07/13/microsoft-channel-chief-launches-new-partner-network/comment-page-1/#comment-103965 Scott Lewis Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:18:25 +0000 http://www.thevarguy.com/?p=3878#comment-103965 This is a good step forward for our industry. The precious medals approach to "tiering" partners is getting old. We (vendors) often think of the difference between medallion levels as partners that are suited to different size customers, complexity of solutions, etc. but partners tend to look at it as a relative statement about comparative quality among partners. I'd like to hear about the 30 competencies too. Sounds complex but may be necessary given the number of businesses that Microsoft is in and the many partner types they are involved with as a result. There are some nice parallels between some of Microsoft's announced changes and some of our recent changes as well as our coming 2010 enhancements. Where we need to be different we will be different but it is easier for partners if vendor program structures are similar where it makes sense. This is a good step forward for our industry. The precious medals approach to “tiering” partners is getting old. We (vendors) often think of the difference between medallion levels as partners that are suited to different size customers, complexity of solutions, etc. but partners tend to look at it as a relative statement about comparative quality among partners.

I’d like to hear about the 30 competencies too. Sounds complex but may be necessary given the number of businesses that Microsoft is in and the many partner types they are involved with as a result.

There are some nice parallels between some of Microsoft’s announced changes and some of our recent changes as well as our coming 2010 enhancements. Where we need to be different we will be different but it is easier for partners if vendor program structures are similar where it makes sense.

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