Microsoft: Partnering Is in Our DNA

In Microsoft's perspective partners worldwide are a key aspect of the economics associated with its software products. The Redmond company relies on an intricate and extensive network of local companies in order to be present across markets that otherwise would be ignored because of the geography and cost factors. In this respect, Allison Watson, corporate vice president of the Worldwide Partner Group, notes that partnering is in Microsoft's DNA and that it trusts local businesses to deal with sales, distribution, implementation, integration and last but not least the enhancing of its technologies.

“Partnering is in our DNA. We believe that as long as we listen to partners of all types, understand the businesses they’re in, and help them grow and be profitable, Microsoft and its partners together will win and grow in the marketplace,” Watson notes. “To that end, we do a few core things that we’re very rigorous about. We do growth planning in every subsidiary in the world to understand how Microsoft will grow and how we can help customers grow their businesses. We translate that into opportunities for partners such that the ecosystem is able to expand year on year in terms of both new partner types and new products and services.”

Between July 13-16 in New Orleans, Microsoft will host its Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC), an event dedicated specifically to the companies that have partnered with the software giant. Ahead of the conference Watson indicated that the Redmond company had kept on pouring money into the Partner Program, and that investments would continue in the same manner. In the end, the software giant is looking to fuel growth for itself, partners, customers and local economies around the world.

“We’ve already shared that the Microsoft Partner Program is becoming the Microsoft Partner Network, with a focus in three core areas. The first is delivering great results for customers, and doing it with very strong ROI for partners. The second is ensuring that our partners are current on our technology and that they’re capable, so they can bring the best to customers and compete well in their markets. And the third pillar is the network itself, the connections among more than 640,000 Microsoft partners and 75 million customers out there in the world today,” Watson added.