A while ago I must have agreed to be on this Microsoft Partner Research Panel. Basically it means I have to fill out a web based survey once a month about my relationship with Microsoft. Well no more, I’m sick of doing these things. Why? Because I’m self centred and I see no benefits for ME.
Now mind you I have no problems doing the occasional survey but this once a month thing is becoming a real drag. I can’t see that I’m receiving any benefit personally or for my business. If I am, I wish Microsoft would tell me because I certainly can’t see it. I never see any results from these surveys, I never get contact by Microsoft about what information I enter in these surveys and like I said I can’t see ANY benefit to me or my business of spending the amount of time I do on these things.
It’s like when Microsoft (and any other vendor) ask for customer case studies. What’s the benefit to end customer? No much really. They get to see their name on some anonymous white paper buried in some obscure web site. How does that help their business? How does it improve their revenue or decrease their expenditure? It doesn’t. So why should they do it? It is simply distracting and only really benefits the vendor.
Now I appreciate that people like Microsoft need feedback and this maybe the most efficient way for them to receive it but I’m getting the feeling that this feedback thing is becoming a one way street. What’s in for me? If there is something, then I sure as hell have no idea what it is!
You can’t just keep going along and sucking information out of people without giving something tangible back I’m sorry to say. If you want my opinion then there has to be something in for me, I’m sorry. I have a business to run. I’m know I’m a greedy, self centred and pompous but hey you’ve had your chance. I’ve done you lots of favours and the now your relationship bank account with me has been overdrawn and I’m bouncing all your cheques until you start putting something back into it. As The Donald says – It’s no personal, it’s business.
CIAOPS 