Dealing with Microsoft Haters

When it comes to Microsoft head-bashing, partners have heard all this.

Prospects also complained they heard that the cost of Microsoft products too.

They heard that customers frequently complained about the mistakes and security patches.

They heard tirades denouncing the company as Byzantine or behemoth, difficult to navigate and Glacially slow to respond to complaints calls. They know that some people view Microsoft as the biggest monopoly, because the standard oil. They occasionally still hear snide remarks, the founder of Microsoft, they Despite his generous donations to charity agencies, is still the worlds richest individuals.

Course, there are also some views are unfounded, unfair or outdated, and channel partners companies rely on Microsoft to the success of them the best counterattack. At the same time, even executives, the company transaction is purely Microsofts solution to understand the negative behind.

As a senior partner said: "Sometimes I hate Microsoft myself. " This is one of the biggest challenges on behalf of the world s most famous names.

Respect from hate True, Microsoft has come a long way since the mid - to late - 20 in the 1990s, When the fighting antitrust allegations and crushed Netscape in the browser war. At that time, the Internet is filled with sites with names like microsoftsucks.com, boycott Microsoft official Microsoft hate page. A particularly vicious son against Microsoft chairman Bill Gates, he is a description of dictator, a devil or Zhen -out and invited visitors, or to Animation beheaded effigy.

Technology magazine of the newspaper published an editorial headline, "Time to break Microsoft ", and quoted spokesmen from the organizations, such as the Committee against Microsoft (which, at this point, announced plans to open a national Headquartered in Washington, DC). There is the "evil empire", in which Reagan In "br> era, referred to the Soviet Union as an alias for Microsoft. E-mail relentless spread anti-China Redmond humor are this planet. (Remember this one? Q: How many Microsoft engineers take Is change a light bulb? A: No. Bill Gates will be announced darkness new industry standard). In 1998, the author told the New BobuÀÊÉ­ Microsoft flutter Peoples Republic of China the first is so prevalent in Silicon Valley "This is like talking about the weather, Minnesota. " Fast forward more than 10 years. As Microsoft has matured, and obtained dignity, strongly criticized by many people who are shut up or disappeared. Yes, blog is still rich with Microsoft-related chatter, but By now, it usually more focused review, for example, was a delayed product releases or the latest round of restructuring, rather than the general attack, and grip.

When is the last time you open an e-mail with another batch of Microsoft jokes? At the same time, Gates? Now a respectable 50-year-old father Third, it was widely regarded as a force for good. In addition to his charity work , and is currently leading a campaign to reduce intellectual property theft in China, is an effort could benefit the entire United States software business? Including Some Microsoft competitors.

Its all in the packaging its a gift, mostly, but also a responsibility. Microsoft the hands of its partners is what specialists called the most valuable brand in the world. In this series of articles, Redmond channel partners magazine editors explore what makes Microsoft brand so strong, what responsibilities Microsoft places and its partners, in order to protect brand value, as well as how to properly deal with partners circumstances, the brand Luggage exceed its benefits. Also read: the the importance of Microsoft Li Pan the Microsoft faces two brands by Doug Barney may For all these reasons, many partners say that they seldom hear units are out-and-out "I hate Microsoft," the sentiment. In a recent survey about 500 Microsoft channel partners readers, that many they can still hear a lot of complaints, some of the specific issues ? Some legitimate, some from left field ? Ranging from costs to customer service to security concern. But overall, partners told us that the big picture, attitude Microsoft brand normally fall between resignation and respect. Although this may initially seem vaguely praise? Not it is best admired or worship? Experts say respect is the single most critical attributes for market leadership status.

"You do not have to love the leader, but you must also respect a leader," said marketing strategist Jack Trout, president of Trout Partners Ltd., a consulting firm in Old Greenwich, Connecticut, "Nobody likes IBM, but they still have great respect for. " In Microsofts young days, its reputation for creating relentless One of the main obstacles to earn that level of respect, trout, and the author co-author of several books on brand management (see "books about brands" this page), "Microsofts problem is that [it] has been somewhat difficult, somewhat aggressive, a little muscle, "Trout said:" [ it] spent two years, from 4 instead of a scalpel, Some market. [It] needs to offset those perceptions [it] too rough "Today, Microsoft is still a terrible competitors, but check their competitiveness and leadership activities, initiatives such as the use of technology to improve the quality of education.

Therefore, the trout that Microsoft now command high respect return to a market leader. Even if sometimes reluctantly agreed to respect is a gospel, in partnership may have been avoided discussing Microsoft market dominance, I am afraid, feeding customers views of the Company as no monopoly to crush competition. In fact, the proposed partnership trout boost Microsofts position on the 1st, as a real customer benefit: "Who To run of the No. 2" ? Microsofts popular indeed make it easier to sell, Bob said, the Prince, founder # 160 of NetSys + companies, consulting firms and systems Gold Certified Partners Based on In Sioux City, Iowa. "There is a lot of duplication, predictable solution Microsofts World, "he said," 99% of the time, we will be able to walk, and said, Here are systems can do that, what you want them to do so. I can even show you how it works on my own system because We use it, too . " Books on brand Here are some recommendations marketing and brand management Guide: brand portfolio strategy: the establishment of relevance, differentiation energy, lever and clarity, from David aaker (Free Press, 2004) brand common sense: the establishment of a powerful brand, through touch, taste, smell, sight and sound from Madinglindeshitemu (Free Press 2005) Design # 160 Brand: a complete guide to creating, building and to continue to maintain its strong brand, by Wheeler (Alina (Press, 2003) Positioning: battle for your mind, the third edition, by the base ries Jack Trout (McGraw - Hill, 2000) strategic brand management: building measure and manage brand stocks, second edition, by Kevin Lane Keller (Pulundishi City Hall, 2002) the 22 immutable laws of Brand: how to build a product service, a world-class brands, from bases ries and Laura ries (HarperCollins, 1998) more word out Even if respect for each conversion will not be questioned as a fan, but the fact no problem, another expert said. "every brand supporters and opponents," said Tim Calkins, an associate professor of marketing and co-director the brand courses in the United States Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University Management, Evanston, Illinois, if the critics seriously, and do not like your brand, You can not change their minds: "Society is based on the brand, , [which] is very difficult debate, "Calkins said," This debate will be much easier immigration and the special local products. you need to go beyond the brand product features. " Microsoft itself has made a major push to help its partners do, and this is by making a seemingly limitless supply of relevant and timely updated information easily available, said Jeff nyheim, vice president for Microsofts central local businesses. most famous example is: "Get the Facts" campaign is an ongoing effort to quantify the benefits of Windows over open source Linux platform. core of the movement is a growing online collection of the White Paper, the third party analyst reports and case studies for high-profile clients, they finally chose Windows (recent examples include Royal Caribbean cruise, 7-11 and fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger is). nyheim said: "Our fundamental approach is to promote conversation back to a very rational assessment of the facts and a clear decision-making framework evaluation of the Microsoft anti-competitive alternatives. " This is is how David wertz, Founder PC works addition, a Gold Certified partner in bellwood, Pennsylvania, in response to the hard core Microsoft hatred in a customers site, is an educational institution. school administrators insist that the functions of Linux stronger, more reliable and more secure than windows. "we demonstrated his capabilities, Microsoft provides a The box SharePoint or exchange, "the comparison function point by point, wertz recalls. "This is almost the end of the controversy." Microsoft now uses a party - facts-approach to this potential customer questions or confusion, many of its product lines. "Others so much to the provision of information to assist in the talks, the moment of truth, when a partner is the same as the views of customers and said: "nyheim, He pointed out that the material is an established partner portal, the companys public website.

For example, if a customer is asking you to stop by to answer some security issue a product, you can grab the most useful information Online? Perhaps a bit like some of the key patch issued Microsoft and its closest competitor over the previous year. "As a result, you walk in the door understanding, as you can, do you have information you can leave and customers, "nyheim said, and through the provision of hard numbers is not only brand evangelism, "you talk to customers from the Cognition and Emotion , and guiding it toward a fact-based decision-making approach. " common complaints and counterarguments partners said that todays Microsoft head-bashing varies Company and day-to-day, depending on news developments and Microsoft Notice, for example, Microsofts decision to postpone the release Windows Vista is the largest of the lightning rod in recent months.

ongoing grousing tends to focus on several key areas: costs (for Initial licensing and upgrades), security threats and bugs. in all three cases, the partners must deal with the views of the two sides and the reality.

, "with most of the systems we sell, such as Outlook and exchange customers there is a perception that the product is worth perhaps 120 to 180 yuan, " Prince said that the company NetSys +. "Indeed, it is the cost of 400 yuan, is up. even if Discount, which has blown somewhere in the middle, perhaps 350 dollars or 375 US dollars . " This gap makes it particularly tough to convince customers they need to upgrade: "Under normal circumstances, very few motives, their part and say, We need a new office products, because we there are 52 new things We do have work, "said Prince . contrary, they insist that, Yang said, they have projects is not doing good enough, I thank you very much.

then how to overcome cost-based resistance? through presentations, to determine manufacturers said that the new version of the solution of the problem that it provide much more capable than they realized. "Most companies deal with is not to watch Microsoft, "Prince said, and sometimes simply raise latest new feature is not enough, and in such a trick.

wertz, computer engineering, coupled with the Microsoft defence, the price-related complaints.

"We do software and application development ourselves, so I know the cost Not only that, "he said," I have not the foggiest clue what costs are In " br> Microsoft operating system in developing countries, it must be incredible " .

he tried to help customers understand that that 400 yuan package d TU is caused billions of dollars in research and development, "not just more money in the pockets of Bill Gates." As for the security issue, wertz expected customers to contact him when Microsoft the issuance of a new security bulletin. what surprised him when they get in touch about the issue, dealing with a few months or even a few years ago, If the old loopholes and Microsoft Outlook. simple exposition of his Microsoft how to resolve the matter and concluded that the note that said: "Microsoft is not perfect, nor will it, but at least you want to hearings in this case, it is nothing new. 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