I’ve been blogging about doing business with Microsoft for a few years now and every year, as our program renewal comes up, I like to ask myself if we are better off or worse off as a community that relies on Microsoft to make most of the l00t. I specifically break it into the following categories: product roadmap, brand strength, partner services, local presence and competitive matrix. So let’s review:
Product Roadmap: C
In 2007, Microsoft in my eyes not only lost the mobility game, but also appears to be losing focus going forward in the space I dominate (MSB). As a result, my customers are demanding services (Salesforce), devices (Blackberry) and software (MacOSX) that increase my cost of doing business because we need to be more familiar and ready to support a wider range of products that end up in a business because Microsoft loses.
Brand Strength: F
Another year of live.com. Another year of big losses to Google. Botched launch of Vista. Nearly non-existent launch of Server 2008. It is my sincerest belief that none of my customers would be even aware of 2008 if I hadn’t told them. To make matters worse, even the IT partners we work with are asking for 2003.
In 2007, Microsoft took the potshots and digs from Apple sitting down, to the extent that may even be admitting that Apple is right. With everyone else gunning for the same space, when will Microsoft hire an advertising/marketing agency? Microsoft is at the moment the very uncool solution with nothing seemingly turning it around.
Partner Services: A+
We have never gotten more for less in the history of OwnWebNow. Microsoft has beefed up its sales staff, provided multiple ways, venues, people and portals to get answers, information and support. I don’t think Microsoft has ever been a stronger partner than it is now.
Local Presence: A
Although the TS2 events are noticeably down, the TS2 guys involvement with the partners is way up. Every event we had locally was attended/presented by the TS2 guys, I keep on getting great feedback about JJ and the other guys on that team, they really have elevated their game.
Competitive Matrix: A
It’s still hard to touch Microsoft on the server. There is still little in the tipping point between going from as-is to “All Mac” offices though more and more Apples are turning up. New Office SKUs are making it easier for us to recommend licensing and not have to be the middleman of selling / provisioning / managing it all.
On the areas we directly compete with Microsoft and look to directly compete with Microsoft (Software + Service) things are looking better and better. Microsoft is still building their data centers and probably years from successfully implementing and offering competitive solutions. Looking at the new “Microsoft Online” SaaS offerings, its clear that their support is going to remain the same its always been, I just have yet another competitor advertising my business model and funneling disgruntaled customers my way when the new partners take over.
So both as a partner and a competitor, I’m pretty happy with what Microsoft brings into my SWOT.
Overall
Gotta give it up to Redmond, they are definitely making it a more valuable and profitable relationship to be in. While their products need work and their marketing is placing them into jeopardy of falling to the distant option instead of dominant contender, so long as people are on Windows the ride should be smooth.
Local stuff is doing better, though mostly due to the death of SPF/RiffRaff hobbyists, so it leaves more bandwidth and assistance for the people that are building and growing. One interesting thing is that over the past year even the most determined “one man shop” mindsets have started to change as a result of demand and nearly everyone I talk to is looking to hire and outsource aspects of their business. I think the stricter control over piracy, MAPS restrictions, requirement for certification for certain deals and really the most minimal of Microsoft control over who gets benefits has nearly decimated the unreliable computer guy syndrome. The calls I used to get “Oh, that guy just destroyed them” are few and far in between now and a lot of folks are merging and teaming up simply because our space is growing and demand is skyrocketing – people that used to be desktop jockeys are long gone.
Competitively, anything the 500lb gorilla does in my space keeps on improving my business because they drive the awareness for a solution and partners flock to me because of the support we put behind it that Microsoft can’t.
Overall, if Microsoft worked a little on their brand advertising things would be perfect. But even without that, nearly everyone I talk to is on the up and up and looking to invest and grow. Do we as a community have it better because of Microsoft? I think so, whats your take?
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