When Tim and I started discussing the importance of the “Blue Badge”, we weren’t bringing the SBSC Programme down but on the contrary we wanted to shout about it! Why? …because we’re proud of it and what we’ve achieved through it. It’s the typical British way, to be slightly apologetic that you’re a Microsoft Small Business Specialist, to leave it until the very last minute to tell your customer that you have this achievement if at all. It seems okay to shout about it in the community and to try and recruit more potential partners but sshhh!!! …don’t tell your customer about it! Your customer isn’t going to care if you’ve actually demonstrated your competency are they? Only Microsoft cares about that for its Partner Programme! Whilst we’re at it why don’t we hide all evidence of any IT skills that we might have. I can say that customers want to see passion and that includes a passion in your own business and what it has achieved and if we don’t care about the “Blue Badge” then customers certainly won’t! So, Tim I’m with you all the way mate, one hundred percent and thanks for standing up and being counted because it is one of the hardest things to do!
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February 27th, 2007 at 9:47 am
Good follow up to Tim’s post (who followed up on yours). Perhaps if the SBSC programme bar was raised a notch (or two?) then more people would want to shout about it? I think every SBSCer should talk about their achievements; can you imagine how gutting it would be if a prospect said ’sorry, we’re going with company X and not you because they’re a Microsoft Small Business Specialist… oh you are too? Oh, um, well we’ve now commited to the other guy… um, is that the time? *click*’
February 27th, 2007 at 10:25 am
I think raising the bar is the key and at least Microsoft UK has realised that and added the extra requirements. Seeing Readycrest and yourself at the Vista Launch at the British Library was a fantastic thing and inspiring to see. It wanted me to be better and achieve more! Speaking to Kerry Bentley at the Small Business Symposium I learnt that they were keen to run a case study I had submitted but have since heard nothing and I’ve never had any other confirmation. Also Steve Wright submitted a case study and never heard anything either. Yet, Kerry was saying they wanted more SBS case studies. So, Microsoft if you want these stories and we’re submitting them, please give us some feedback and follow up on them!