MS Partners, do you want to get paid for what you sell?
July 10, 2008 – 1:01 pm
As Microsoft plans it continued rollout of Software + Services (S+S) there are some details that still need to be clarified. An important one to MS Partners is how we get paid. While the standard comp structure for Microsoft’s Online Services (SaaS) has been settled upon, they have not made final decisions on how they will comp for some of the S+S like when you (or your customer) purchases a subscription and subsequent renewal for their OneCare or Forfront subscription from a trial version included in Small Business Server 2008 or Essential Business Server.
While here are WPC talking with the softies whom influence those decisions worldwide, there seems to be a difference of opinions between the World Wide Partner Group and the Product Teams as to what will modivate us to sell. I told them I would poll the community so you could help them decide thus the reason for this blog and linked survey. If you are an MS Partner and plan to sell ANY SBS or EBS 2008 then you either need to help me help them decide what we need/want by answering this very short survey. I will use the results for a meeting next week in Redmond where I will cash in on some of my SBSC PAL juice card and ensure your best interests are made know to the powers that be.
5 Responses to “MS Partners, do you want to get paid for what you sell?”
Another survey nobody will bother to fill out because they don’t want to help that stinkin’ Microsoft… and they cry wolf months down the road when Microsoft makes the decision it void of feedback and everyone again throws their arms up in anger.
Keep your mind on your money and your money on your _____.
-Vlad
By Vlad Mazek on Jul 10, 2008
Here’s what I said in the open-ended response at the end of the survey:
I don’t understand all the yammering about this issue. Consultants influenced the sale of MS products for years without compensation. And whatever revenue is obtained from referral fees, price markups, and other product-sales-related activities pales in comparison to the revenue generated from consulting, installation, configuration, and maintenance. I’d rather have Microsoft take the money it spends on commissions and rebates and funnel that into other partner support initiatives, like giving us more server licenses in the Action Pack, arranging discounts on hardware and software from MS’s manufacturing partners, offering more hands-on, low-cost training, etc.
By David Schrag on Jul 10, 2008