Columns

The Gold Club

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Congratulations to the following organizations that have recently joined Microsoft's top partner group.

Citrix Wants to Dazzle End Users

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Company plans to roll out iTunes-like interface where end users can access corporate applications.

Get Primed to Virtualize SMBs

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 07:00:00 GMT

First Look: Book by Gold Certified Partner provides a good starting point for building a virtualization practice.

By the Numbers: A 'Most Difficult Environment'

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Company CFO Chris Lidell called the quarter perhaps "the most difficult environment Microsoft has faced in its entire 30-year history."

A Grudging Admission that This Is a Major Launch Wave

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Almost every aspect of the Microsoft stack -- from OSes to tools to apps -- is up for renewal in the coming year.

Gartner: Middleware Market Hits the Brakes in 2009

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Marketplace: Researchers actually find some good news amid the slowdown for Microsoft in the areas of BizTalk and SharePoint.

Windows 7 on Track for Q3 to early Q4 RTM

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Operating Systems: Release Candidate arrives in plenty of time for the new OS to be generally available in Fall 2009.

Microsoft Chases the Discount Bandwagon

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 07:00:00 GMT

In this economy, we're relying on quick, easy gimmicks to keep the money moving. Aggressive discounts are what's working for Microsoft.

Microsoft Rolls out Dynamic Incentives

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Marketing: Will the new initiatives offset recent hits to Microsoft Business Solutions sales, both for Microsoft and its partners?

Microsoft Rolls out Matchmaker for Partners

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Programs: New portal looks to link partners with complementary experience and bridge regional gaps.

Cloud Computing: Share and Share Alike

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Programs: Microsoft opens data services component of the Azure platform, called Project Huron, to customers for testing.

Small Business Specialists Find Hopeful Signs

Fri, 01 May 2009 19:00:00 GMT

Microsoft surveyed more than 600 Small Business Specialists to see where partners were finding glimmers of light at the end of this dark economic tunnel.

Microsoft's Vertical Innovation Strategy

Fri, 01 May 2009 19:00:00 GMT

Partners may see Dynamics and R&D spending being cut, but Microsoft is ramping up to gain on the market leaders.

Bekker Gets All a-Twitter

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 19:00:00 GMT

At times more burdensome than helpful, Twitter becomes a business driver in these challenging times. So, how are partners using it?

Inside Microsoft's Worst Hard Time

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 19:00:00 GMT

Based on its latest quarterly report, Redmond resembles other tech companies hit by the recession as it bleeds net income and lays off workers.

Web Wise on the Sales Side

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 19:00:00 GMT

Partner Web sites should be more than marketing vehicles -- they should be sales tools as well.

Azure Plus the Dynamics Partner

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 19:00:00 GMT

The Dynamics-in-the-cloud vision remains murky, but partners can take part in giving it shape as Microsoft figures out how to deliver it the right way.

Hazarding a Look Ahead

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 19:00:00 GMT

Uncertain financial climate, new U.S. president, new Windows OS -- all on the horizon and bound to affect partners in some way.

Make Monday Morning Meetings Count

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 19:00:00 GMT

Get on the right track and start your week off with a well-informed, well-organized game plan.

Forecasting Azure Skies

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:00:00 GMT

Never mind the recession. With Windows Azure, partners have a new set of challenges brought on by cloud-based computing.

Sprint to the Finish -- in a Whole New Race

Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:00:00 GMT

You may have a sense of urgency driven by end-of-year deadlines for quotas or bonuses, but you need to show prospects how moving forward at this point will benefit them.

Tech Starts to Feel the Pain

Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:00:00 GMT

IT seemed immune to the financial crisis, but companies are now reacting as news becomes more ominous by the day.

Expect Google to Burnish Chrome to a High Shine

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:00:00 GMT

Dismiss Chrome as another browser and partners might miss a big opportunity.

Microsoft's BI Challenge, Round 2

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:00:00 GMT

Some internal movements at Redmond might have BI heavyweights on their toes.

How Do You Measure Sales Success?

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 19:00:00 GMT

Some easy dashboard metrics for partners who want to squeeze as much as they can from their strategic sales-management plans.

What's Your KPI?

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:00:00 GMT

What's working and what's not working at your company? A good way to find out is trending your business through Key Performance Indicators.

S+S Starting Gun Fired

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 19:00:00 GMT

Microsoft's software and services combo takes a running start at competitors with "deskless" versions of its Office tools.

Top 5 Channel Falsehoods

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 19:00:00 GMT

Of the many warning signs that a reseller-vendor relationship might not work, here's a list of the ones I find to be all too common.