MICROSOFT Brunei is enhancing its relationship with local partners as
part of preparations for the worldwide release of the highly anticipated
Windows 8 operating system on October 26.
Through its newly-refined
Microsoft Partner Network (MPN), the company hopes to transition its ad-hoc
relationship with current parners to a more programmatic and creditable
relationship, focusing on visibilities on its priorities, competency building
and access to Microsoft's resources.
Azizah Ali, the branch manager at
Microsoft Brunei, said that the new MPN will help distinguish its partners as a
premier business solution provider while allowing them to better engage with
their customers with broader solution services beyond solely selling Microsoft
products.
With Windows 8 already reaching
Release to Manufacturing (RTM) status, Microsoft hopes to build awareness and
readiness to amongst its partners through the MPN.
"Once the product arrives on
October 26, the partners will need to be ready to support the market
here," said Azizah.
"Because it's going to be a
huge launch for Microsoft, we need to keep in touch with our partners more
effectively. We want them to sign up for the MPN where we can provide them with
continuous updates and readiness training," she said.
Last Thursday, Microsoft Brunei
organised a partners meeting at the Radisson Hotel in the capital where a
preview of the new operating system, The New Office, Windows Server 2012, SQL
Server and other new products from Microsoft that are coming out throughout its
new fiscal year was showcased.
"Microsoft has just
concluded its financial year end of June. We have actually grew our revenue by
six per cent and our earnings per share grew by five per cent," she said
in an exclusive interview with The Brunei Times during the Partners Meeting
session last week.
"We did have quite a good
year in Brunei as well. Last year we've transacted with 37 partners here. Our
business model is a partner-driven business model."
Azizah said that the new MPN is
now at the competency level which the partners can obtain different levels,
namely Silver competencies and Gold competencies.
"In terms of competencies,
it varies from small businesses all the way to management and data centres. We
want to help them differentiate themselves better. We want our partners to look
at this and choose where they should focus on.
"We don't want them to try
and do everything and then unable to build and maintain their capabilities. At
the end of the day, if they try to play in all the areas, they would end up
outsourcing it to outside Brunei and not retaining their competencies
here," said the manager.
The competencies are expected to
give more confidence to the customers.
"So when the customers
engage with our partner, the customers can expect that these are the partners
that will be able to deliver their projects," she explained.
She also said that Microsoft
Brunei also plans to share with its partners on the resources available from
Microsoft.
"We want to make sure that
our partners are aware that there are resources for them, from marketing
resources to investment opportunities, to help grow their businesses."
The Brunei Times
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