Microsoft Office 365 Contest: Some Partners Cry Foul
Microsoft has launched an “Office 365: Ready for Work” cloud computing contest that will honor five small business customers with big prizes. But Microsoft’s good intentions in the SMB market have triggered some resentment among channel partners.
In an email to selected SMB customers and influencers in Canada, Microsoft says the Office 365 contest:
“encourages small businesses around the world to submit their inspiring entrepreneurial stories to the Office 365 Facebook page. The five winners will receive big business capabilities with Office 365 for a year; $50,000 in advertising and business services to drive new business; [and] a day’s work from a Microsoft executive, who will work for the winner at their business or charity of choice.”
Benefit of the Doubt
I don’t sense any intentional partner malice on Microsoft’s part. But the contest certainly seems to overlook a critical audience: Microsoft’s SMB channel partners.
No doubt, Microsoft needs to aggressively promote SMB cloud computing wins amid heightened competition from Google Apps, Salesforce.com and other SMB SaaS providers. But Microsoft’s decision to directly engage SMBs with the cloud computing contest has some partners crying foul.
Several channel partners forwarded the contest information to TalkinCloud. Each of the partners said they were surprised and disappointed by Microsoft’s failure to mention Office 365 solutions providers within the contest parameters.
Smarter Moves
In Microsoft’s defense, the company has been on the road in recent weeks aggressively promoting Office 365 and some related efforts to channel partners. Recent examples include:
- The Microsoft SMB Cloud Champions Club, which promotes VARs and MSPs that have achieved key BPOS (Business Productivity Online Suite) sales milestones. BPOS is Office 365’s predecessor.
- The Office 365 Marketplace Beta, which promotes third-party cloud and SaaS components to customers and partners.
- A list of Microsoft’s top 27 Office 365 channel partners, which are poised to assist end-customer SaaS and cloud projects.
Let’s assume the Office 365 SMB contest is an honest effort to promote SMB customer innovations. But let’s also hope Microsoft’s next SMB cloud contest doesn’t overlook channel partners.
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