CRN Canada - Microsoft Infrastructure Optimization... -
[Cached Version]
Published on: 10/19/2007
Last Visited: 11/23/2007
Microsoft ran the first version of BPIO during its fiscal 2007, which ended in June, and entered a pilot mode for version two of the program in early September, said Jigish Avalani, senior director of Microsoft's Information Worker Partners group.
"With BPIO version one, partners liked the fact that we were thinking about our technology from a solutions perspective, and taking a long term view of the customer, and what [technologies] they might leverage over a 3- to-5-year span," said Avalani.
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Thus far, Microsoft has primarily focused its BPIO efforts on sales and marketing training, facilitating the discussion with partners, and helping partners explain to customers the benefits of upgrading from basic to dynamic network infrastructure, said Avalani.
Next month, Microsoft will hold a training event in Chicago to further explain how the program will benefit partners, according to Avalani.
Microsoft is also establishing a better connection with how its field operates in the context of BPIO, by allowing field and channel partners to receive instruction together in the sessions, said Avalani."In the sales readiness meetings, the solution specialists will actually be sitting in the same room at the same time as the partners," he said.