The 'I' in BI : community

LiveSeries Partner Live Meeting Programme www.microsoft.com/uk/partner/liveseries

Hayley — Fri, 08 May 2009 14:43:21 GMT

We have set up a Live Meeting section on the portal to host Live Meetings for Partners – called the Live Series. You may or may not have heard of these... but here they are if you haven’t.

Partners will also be able to view the on demand recordings of each Live Meeting post event.

Here are the links to the up and coming events some will require a partner log in for access.

LiveSeries Partner Live Meeting Programme (www.microsoft.com/uk/partner/liveseries):

· Tuesday 12 May - BPOS – what is it and how do partners make money from it?

· Wednesday 13th May 2009, 2pm - 3pm - Securing OCS Solutions

· Wednesday 13 May 2009 3pm - 4pm - CSAT Index: Effectively Measure Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty

· Monday 18^th May 2009 4pm - 5pm – System Centre technologies with Exchange Server 2007 and SharePoint Server 2007

· Wednesday 20th May 2009, 2pm - 3pm - Using Intelligent Application Gateway (IAG) to provide secure remote access to applications

· Wednesday 3rd June 2009 4pm - 5pm - Capabilities and Value of Windows SharePoint Services

· Thursday 4^th June 4pm – 5pm - Server 2008 R2 – What’s New and where is the opportunity for Partners

· 10th June 2009 4pm-5pm - Capabilities and Value of MOSS Standard SAL

· 17th June 2009 4pm-5pm - Capabilities and Value of MOSS Enterprise SAL

· Tuesday 21st July 3pm - 4pm - CSAT Index: Effectively Measure Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty

· Wednesday 26th August 2009 3pm - 4pm - CSAT Index: Effectively Measure Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty

Calling all sport enthusiasts…

Hayley — Thu, 07 May 2009 12:29:32 GMT

For those of you that are outdoor enthusiasts, I thought i would share a bit about my interests outside of BI

At the end of May I will be taking part in an Adventure Race called RAID in FRANCE with my other 3 team mates and 2 support crew. A 7 day extreme outdoors race from the Alps to the Mediterranean Sea. A combination of activities from trekking, mountain biking, horse riding, canyoning, kayaking and all out survival is involved. This race is part of the World Series in Adventure Racing and is designed to test physical and mental strength in some of the most breathtaking views of France. As my first big race, I hope to come back alive!

To find out more, or if you are interested in taking part next year for yourself..click on the snapshot below.

There is also a video to watch here: http://www.raidinfrance.com/gb/news.php

Business Advisor Podcast Series

Hayley — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:45:33 GMT

The Business Advisor series is a set of podcasts featuring advice-led commentary from Microsoft executives, independent experts and partners. Issues covered in these podcasts include: cost-effective marketing; business planning; how to cut costs without reducing productivity or efficiency; and how to drive and close more sales in a tougher economic climate.

Hear from Microsoft’s Scott Dodds; organisations such as Resource IT, the Telegraph Business Club and Business-Scene; and from partners, BSG, Monochrome, Global Knowledge and Black Marble. Please promote these resources with your Partners, click here to access.

Microsoft Financing

Hayley — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 11:45:34 GMT

HAVE YOU HAD PROJECTS CANCELLED DUE TO PULLED BUDGETS?

IF YES, THE MICROSOFT SMARTPAY FINANCING THAT COVERS YOUR SERVICES, SOFTWARE LICENSES (MICROSOFT AND 3RD PARTY) AND HARDWARE COULD HELP!

This can help you win business through making YOUR offer the most attractive one with the best payment Ts and Cs and turn around deals that are at risk due to budget cuts.

··

Zero Payments, Six Months – SmartPay from Microsoft
SmartPay offers a simple package that makes selling easier and streamlines the acquisition of IT solutions for customers. Qualified customers get their IT solution taken care of – with zero payments for six months. Partners get a robust tool to help close more deals more quickly and nurture relationships with customers. After the introductory period, the remainder of the finance is paid in regular monthly payments. By focusing on customer needs rather than their budget cycles, partners become part of their customers’ IT solutions. SmartPay offers the IT customers need and the financing to make IT work.

For more information about Microsoft Financing and for full terms and conditions for SmartPay visit our Partner or Customer sites :

Partner site: www.microsoftfinancing.com

Customer site: www.microsoft.com/uk/financing

Alternatively, get in touch with the UK Financing team by emailing MSFinUK@microsoft.com

··

This can help you turnaround deals that are at risk due to budget cuts.

Introducing ResourceiT

Hayley — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 13:23:53 GMT

I'd like to share with you all a little bit of information about ResourceIT, the external company who I am starting to work with to develop a series of sessions on channel marketing and value propositions with partners on Microsoft BI.

We have heard from many partners that you would like help in understanding how best to go about marketing and so working with ResouceIT we hope to have tailored sessions coming up to cover these areas.

The Who the What and The How ...? How to make the best decisions and find the right clients
- Define who you are and who you are selling to
- What are you selling?
- How are you selling it?
Developing a marketing strategy
- Marketing Planning and what you should /need to consider
- Developing a compelling value proposition
- Creating an effective Marketing Strategy
Results you should expect from your investment
- Information on highly effective marketing campaigns and what they have delivered
- Process to follow to make informed decisions about your ongoing investment in marketing
- A way forward - opportunities to utilise external resources, like ResourceIT, to help you with your specific individual company needs

A bit more about ResourceIT....

ResourceiT delivers proven sales, marketing and consultancy services to Microsoft partners to meet revenue objectives. With a flexible portfolio of services designed to complement partners’ budgets, in house capability, and resources, ResourceiT can enable partners of all shapes and sizes to:

Accelerate growth to meet business ambitions (revenue targets)
Complete marketing plans and identify the right marketing strategy
Identify compelling value propositions
Deliver highly targeted sales lead generation campaigns that match your capacity to deliver without compromise on quality or service
Develop web content and sales collateral to effectively communicate with the right customers

Services offered

Marketing consultancy – planning, strategy, sales messaging and web content, case study development, event management, email marketing campaigns
Sales services – data acquisition, data cleansing, telemarketing (solutions or event attendance), research and surveys
Partner Alliance consultancy – developing a partner value proposition, identifying the right partners to work with and creating joint messages, defining rules of engagement

If you would like to learn more about ResourceIT you can visit their website or contact enquiries@resourceit.net. Otherwise, please feel free to contact me directly.

Microsoft are Sponsoring the BI Butler event 2008

Hayley — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:33:01 GMT

Intelligence Driven Operations, Performance and Risk Management 30 September - 01 October 2008, London

What will be covered?

The deployment of consistent, cross-enterprise BI to address operational reporting, performance management, and decision support, can deliver considerable returns on investment including improved efficiency, cost savings and new business opportunities. These are important outcomes that gain added significance at times of uncertainty and complex macroeconomic conditions that increase operational risks and threats to profitability. Another challenge is to stay on track and adapt to rapidly emerging technology trends that are changing the way that information is managed and used. Butler Group’s 2008 Business Intelligence Symposium will focus on these key issues, and will provide the latest thinking on BI, identify
important market and technology trends, and in doing so create the opportunity to relate these issues to the requirements of your own organisation. Business decision makers, Information Management professionals, managers, and team leaders will find the event stimulating, helping them succeed in achieving organisational objectives. The event is also an excellent forum for airing your questions, whether during the conference and panel debate, or in one-to-one sessions with our analysts. Not least is the opportunity to network with your peers and talk to vendors about their latest products.
This conference and exhibition focuses on use of BI to drive operations, performance and risk management and will cover the following areas:

Intelligence driven operations.
The many aspects of Performance Management.
Enterprise Risk Management.
Deriving value from analytics.
BI and new trends in Information Management.
Gaining business value from text mining.
Developments in data quality and data integration technologies.
The role of search and collaboration functionality in BI.
The convergence of BI with Business Process Management.
Application of BI to business process monitoring and optimisation.
Location intelligence.
The advantages and challenges of gaining a BI capability through Software as a Service.

Zero Payments, Six Months – SmartPay from Microsoft

Hayley — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 12:44:53 GMT

SmartPay offers a simple package that makes selling easier and streamlines the acquisition of IT solutions for customers. Qualified customers get their IT solution taken care of – with zero payments for six months. Partners get a robust tool to help close more deals more quickly and nurture relationships with customers. After the introductory period, the remainder of the finance is paid in regular monthly payments. By focusing on customer needs rather than their budget cycles, partners become part of their customers’ IT solutions. SmartPay offers the IT customers need and the financing to make IT work.

For more information about Microsoft Financing and for full terms and conditions for SmartPay visit our Partner or Customer sites :

Partner site: www.microsoftfinancing.com

Customer site: www.microsoft.com/uk/financing

Virtual Earth UK New Partner Day

Hayley — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 12:13:08 GMT

Virtual Earth UK New Partner Day

Event ID: 1032373673

http://msevents.microsoft.com/cui/EventDetail.aspx?culture=en-GB&EventID=1032373673

19 September 2008 09:30 - 19 September 2008 17:15 GMT, London
Welcome Time: 08:30

Brighton Centre Kings Road
Brighton East Sussex BN1 2GR
United Kingdom

Event Overview

This event will comprise of a full day of informative sessions; you will hear from customers and partners who have utilised Virtual Earth as well as technical presentations and the latest updates from Virtual Earth.

A masterclass from Johannes Kebeck will highlight useful tips and tricks for developers, ensuring you get the most out of the Virtual Earth platform. Microsoft Regional Director for Australia Dr Neil will also be presenting at this event.

This event will also provide a valuable opportunity to network with other partners and developers as well as members of the EMEA Virtual Earth team.

Registration Options

Event ID:
1032373673

BI Competency Resources

Hayley — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 10:09:02 GMT

Learn more about:

· Changes to the Partner Program around BI Competency

· Microsoft Performance Management Specialization

· BI Platform Specialization

· Requirements for BI Competency - PM or BI Plat

· BI Customer Campaigns - Partner Marketing Center

Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 Labcast: NEW!

The PerformancePoint Server 2007 Labcast Series is taken from a live, four-day, instructor-led event and is approximately 25 hours in length. A labcast is a series of hosted hands-on labs coupled with accompanying minute instructor led videos. Students flip back and forth from the video to the lab as if they were in the classroom. You are encouraged to do one or multiple labs at a time, and then return for more labs at your convenience. Visit the following link to get started: Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 Technical Training - Labcast. Contact Joanne Pinter for more details.

Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 Implementation Web Series!

Now available On-Demand, this three-part webcast series will introduce partners to the Microsoft Consulting Services’ Performance management Center of Excellence (PM-CoE). The PM-CoE is responsible for documenting implementation methodology and best practices for Performance Point Server 2007.

The first two presentations will take partners through the suggested phases of a generic PerformancePoint Server M&A and Planning implementation; what to look out for – and the “do’s” and the “don’ts”. In addition, a webcast detailing Microsoft’s internal implementation of PerformancePoint Server 2007 is also included.

Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007: M&A Implementation Methodologies and Best Practices

Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007: Planning Implementation Methodologies and Best Practices

Microsoft Finance Case Study: PerformancePoint Server 2007 Planning Implementation Do’s and Don’ts

Introducing Quantix....

Hayley — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 11:24:27 GMT

As I have mentioned previously, I am always happy to promote your businesses on my blog to raise awareness of the services you offer to the wider community.

This month, Quantix would like to introduce themselves to the wider BI community.

''Quantix, an Oracle Certified Advantage Partner, Microsoft Gold Partner and Juniper Select Partner, specialise in the provision of Database Technology solutions, Business Applications support services, High Performance Networking & Security and Remote Managed Services.''

With offices in London and Nottingham, Quantix has a substantial team of qualified Oracle and SQL Server consultants delivering remote DBA support, 24x7 monitoring, pro-active maintenance, technical consulting and license optimisation services to over 400 clients

At this moment in time Quantix are keen to work with Microsoft ISV's looking to expand their offering into the Software as a Service space.

If you are interested in contacting Quantix, please send me an email: hrixon@microsoft.com

Information on becoming a Certified BI partner......

Hayley — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 10:56:00 GMT

Certifications

To qualify, your organisation must employ or contract with two individuals who have passed at least one of the following Microsoft exams with a minimum score of 700:

Exam 70-228 - Installing, Configuring and Administering Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition
Exam 70-229 - Designing and Implementing Databases with Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition
Exam 70-431 - TS: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 - Implementation and Maintenance (save on this exam with Partner Skills Plus Certification Exam Savings)
Exam 70-445 - TS: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Business Intelligence - Implementation and Maintenance
Exam 70-446 - PRO: Designing a Business Intelligence Infrastructure by Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005

Customer References

Submit at least three customer references that showcase your business-intelligence services, reporting, tools and application solutions using SQL Server technology.

General Guidelines for Customer References

Each customer reference must feature a project that you have completed within the last 12 months.
Each reference will be verified with your customer. Upon approval, the reference will be valid up to one year after your programme anniversary.
For more information about submitting customer references and to preview the reference profile questions, download the Earning a Competency Guide.

For more in depth information please go to:

Microsoft Business Intelligence Partner Community

Hayley — Wed, 28 May 2008 12:25:41 GMT

Microsoft, in conjunction with Obis Omni, are running their first Business Intelligence Partner Community Event shortly. This informal networking event will allow attendees to hear about the latest developments then meet and share ideas with other Microsoft Partners working in Business Intelligence and Data Management.

Join us at our Partner Networking Event in Central London on 19 June between 4:30-7:30pm to find out how we can help you nurture new and profitable relationships with Microsoft. Places are limited and reserved for CXOs, Directors, Line of Business representatives with a key sales or business development role in your organisation.

To Find out more, please click on the logo below:

Microsoft Sales Tool Kit......

Hayley — Fri, 16 May 2008 16:01:13 GMT

The new edition of the Microsoft Sales Toolkit has now arrived. This edition runs from June to December 2008 and has been updated to include the new 2008 products. This edition has been automatically sent to partners who have subscribed online, or if they are on the attached bulk distribution list. Additional copies can be ordered from

www.microsoft.com/uk/gearup

There is also an electronic version available for download.

What is the Sales Toolkit?

The Microsoft Sales Toolkit is your partners’ source for driving sales. It is the licensing and sales 'product handbook' that helps partners generate up-sell and cross-sell opportunities, giving you and your Partners information on the full portfolio of Microsoft products and services. You can find information on what the product is, how to sell it, relevant SKU numbers and FAQs.

Partner Events, Great Stories...Seminars & Case Studies!!

Hayley — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:31:07 GMT

Guys and Girls, I realise that you have your own ways and means of distributing your customer wins, great stories, and events. However, increasingly it has become apparent that internally at Microsoft not enough people know about what great things you are doing with Microsoft BI.

Therefore, If you would like to share events you are holding, customer case studies or just what you are up to in the BI arena with me and the wider team, please send all communication direct to: hrixon@microsoft.com

The more great stories we can share the better!!

Competition

To get you motivated to share..... I have a mini competition you are all welcome to enter.The best partner story sent through that aligns with the criteria below will be awarded a prize at the BI community event on June 19th in London.

Criteria for customer story must include:

- Partner Name

- Customer name

- Solution outline, What customer issue did it resolve?

- Performance Point reference

Please Submit directly to me by 30th May 2008

If you haven't yet received your invite to the event on the 19th June, please email me directly.