More dependent on partners than any other major software company,
Microsoft has recently modified its core partner program and significantly broadened the
number of partners with which the company has formal relationships. The new program, which
puts a high priority on serving small partners, tries to balance many competing
requirements, such as the need to satisfy partners with one employee and those with
thousands; the desire to allow virtually any company to become a Microsoft partner while
still maintaining standards that assure other partners and customers of partner quality;
and the need to market its products and services effectively to partners without
overwhelming them with material irrelevant to their particular businesses. Companies that
take advantage of Microsoft’s partner programs can tap Microsoft’s vast array of
resources and market power to benefit their own business. At the same time, a partnership
with Microsoft contains certain risks, such as the possibility that Microsoft might decide
to enter a particular technology segment that the partner already occupies.
This report describes major elements of Microsoft’s partner
strategy and the general landscape of Microsoft partnerships, and provides a detailed look
at major features of the new Microsoft Partner Program. It describes the characteristics
that are important to Microsoft in evaluating its partners, pathways for partners who want
to earn more support and recognition from Microsoft, and some of the teams involved in
managing partners and partner programs.
