Sales

Partner of the sale of Microsoft software assurance (SA) may hit some big Obstacles, this year, according to a recent survey by Cambridge, Massachusetts, based on Forrester Research survey results, published in July, showed that many SA customers are considering non-renewal of its SA service contract. In fact, only 11% the Forrester customers of the respondents affirmed plans Renewal.

SA is a maintenance procedure, each year Subscriptions, to provide 24-hour telephone support, training, the right to use Home And other benefits. But The main reason that most companies choose SA is access to new and Upgrade products.

for channel partners, Forresters findings can be translated into many more. "I think the failure of the SA channels from the perspective of the meaning of Will require a longer sales cycle time and greater challenges, and customer expectations discount may be higher, said: "The reports author and Forrester Vice President Julie giera.

This is an important year for the sa plan, with a number of agreements to set up Renewal. In fact, 86 percent of the 63 Forresters customers interviewed have SA Service licenses expire in 2007. Of these, 26 percent said they would not renewal. This more than doubled, the number of people like agreements sufficient Lobby Up. Another 31 percent of people said that they "do not definitely" or " Decided, "18 percent of the plan to renew their contracts" only for some Products ", And 13 percent said they would" probably "renewal.

Forrester report concludes that not good news for Microsoft or its partners: "economics behind the purchase or renew SA service is not nearly compelling, as many companies seems to be the case a few years ago, When the program was first proposed.s Long-term upgrade cycle, the lack of a Detailed product road map, new products, the introduction of enterprise CAL [client access licenses], and the cost of SA is to promote more Organizations than ever before to reconsider their licensing strategy. " Forresters report, encourage customers to counterattack SA Terms of Service , and held a discount.

Microsoft Microsoft, which has close co-operation, Forrester companies on the licensing related Research and tools, disputes Forresters conclusion that customers think They also did not receive their moneys worth mentioning from the SA services.

stacie shops, director of marketing and communications for the global licensing and pricing for the results of Forrester misleading, because they Based on too small a sample. Report: "only look at a subset of our customers is not consistent with The feedback we have received, " she said. "In fact, Microsofts target rate of reconstruction, and in accordance with and Of our expectations.

It is estimated that 75 percent of the existing environmental assessment, renewal enterprise agreements, which shows that customers find the value of All the benefits of this type of agreement provides. " If this is true, giera miracle, why Microsoft so eager to cut transaction sand » "Discounts, more depth, more concessions to get better and Clients have been able to get a better handle. That is, I think Microsoft understand that this is the risk of the audience, "giera said. In addition to promoting the Microsoft better deal, partners should be how to respond to » giera proposed SA services not only to watch as a product, but as a platform , Upward and solutions marketing their products.

For example, if a customer is done Exchange migration, partners It may be noted that, SA training and work in family benefits, and provide Introduction and implementation of treatment. giera said: "have a huge money have to make."