A wasted opportunity
I would like to thank those who turned out for the Ignite sales event in Cardiff yesterday. The event was only available to Microsoft Partners, so not everyone on this list was eligible to attend and to those people I apologise for all the irrelevant traffic. We really need to support these local events to help keep us on Microsoft’s radar. Microsoft’s head of small business attended the event and it was nice that we were able to show a reasonable turnout, although I think we need to do much better if we want the support to continue.
Now, with the pleasantries out of the way, forgive me for indulging in a bit of plain speaking.
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I just can’t believe that no-one, not a single person, has an opinion on how Microsoft does its marketing or the services that they provide to us as partners. No-one has a wish-list of things they’d like to see changed. Everyone must be completely happy with the way Microsoft relates to us – small business partners - at whatever level we are at in the partner programme. Everyone is completely satisfied with the shiny plastic “small business specialist” plaque and there’s nothing more you want from your blue badge? Clare Barclay, Microsoft’s head of small business for the UK, made the effort to travel to the event to hear YOUR feedback and no-one had anything whatsoever to say to her. Not a single piece of feedback was given. Why do you think Microsoft has supported the formation of these groups? Of course, they see a business benefit in them but also this is about reaching out to small business partners such as ourselves and trying to understand our needs. Microsoft understands that it has a poor track record in the small business sector and this is their attempt to put that right. Clare and her team are considered ‘thought leaders’ by many at Microsoft and they are really changing the way Microsoft relates to small business. Yesterday, you had the ear of the top person as far as UK small business is concerned, and you wasted that opportunity.
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For what it’s worth, I told Clare that I wanted Microsoft to keep working to raise the profile of the SBS “blue badge” so that potential customers know about the Small Business Specialist community and hopefully that may result in lead generation for our businesses. With only half a dozen SBSC accredited partners in South Wales, there is a good opportunity to be exploited and I asked her not to wait until it was too late.
Now I implore you all: please think about the power that the small business specialist community has and what it can do for you. Look at what has happened in America and Australia and project that situation to Wales. It is not going to be served to you on a plate. You have to engage with the community and with Microsoft. Be opinionated and give voice to your ideas. Give feedback, either through me, SWSBSG, by replying here in the discussion list or direct to Microsoft. Don’t waste an even bigger opportunity. Start now. Tell me what you want from SWSBSG and the small business specialist community.