SBSC-Central Region-Midwest Area

I have to admit that I was not able to attend the Response Point Town Hall Meeting held earlier today, so what I am about to share is provided by others. Having said that, this is all I have seen so far. I just checked the PLC and the recorded copy has not been posted yet.

From The VAR Guy :
After weeks of speculation, Microsoft has essentially killed Response Point — the company’s former VoIP system for small businesses. According to a Microsoft Town Hall meeting today with VARs, the product is in maintenance mode with no future releases planned. Sorry for the following comparison, but Response Point has become Microsoft’s modern day OS/2. Here’s why.
The rest of the story…

From Matt Landis:
At a Microsoft Response Point town hall meeting today, RP program manager John Frederickson says “There are no current plans for future version releases of Response Point, but MS will continue to evaluate specific feature requests and continue to maintain the product…We are not prepared to commit to a next version release today…” Later on John said, “RP is in maintenance mode…”

To questions about the future of RP John said “RP is funded for FY2010…RP will be evaluated for ROI from year to year like all Microsoft products…”

John also noted the Response Point does have a budget for marketing activities for FY2010.

The rest of the story…

HARLAN, Ia. – June 30, 2009 – Savvy IT service providers appreciate how critical it is to streamline their business operations and rely more than ever on their peers to develop, share and implement industry best practices. Today, the leading IT peer group network, Heartland Tech Group (HTG), and ConnectWise, the worldwide leader of IT professional services automation software, announced a strategic alliance that will further the insight and analysis available to HTG members through ConnectWise’s capabilities.

Through the partnership, HTG members will use ConnectWise as their business operating system and use ConnectWise-developed education as part of their peer group process. This common experience will enable HTG members to share expertise and quickly implement and measure business process improvements.

“Joining HTG and making the investment in ConnectWise both rank up there with the best business decisions we have made,” commented Dan Shundoff, President and CEO of Kearney, Neb., based Intellicom. “We are excited to see these two mission critical organizations work hand-in-hand to enhance our peer group interaction and our business. This move just confirms those decisions even further.”

ConnectWise, the worldwide industry-leading publisher of professional services automation (PSA) software, is investing over $3 million in the development of educational content for its partners during 2009. The alliance with HTG builds on the company’s commitment to deliver practical and actionable business process education to the solution provider community.

“As HTG has evolved, we realized that our members needed an efficient way to transform ideas into operational improvements,” said HTG CEO and Founder Arlin Sorensen. “We can now not only focus on what should be done to enhance our members’ operations, we can talk very specifically about how to do it. This strategic alliance will allow us to move from theoretical to tactical and increase the impact on member companies exponentially. ConnectWise is uniquely positioned to deliver the industry insight and software capabilities HTG members need to create business success.”

ConnectWise CEO Arnie Bellini said that the HTG partnership is one more way for his company to support the solution provider industry’s success: “HTG has clearly established the industry’s leading peer group community. We’re committed to helping organizations like HTG develop their members’ expertise and improve their business results. With our online university, regional user groups, Learning Center, Mastery sessions and Partner Summit, HTG members have access to the industry’s leading educational content and can select the delivery method that works best for them.”

About Heartland Tech GroupHeartland Tech Group (HTG) is an international peer group organization focused on business improvement, member accountability, and work-life excellence among leading IT solution providers. HTG has over 225 member companies throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom spread over 20 groups of 12 non-competing member companies. Peer groups meets quarterly for a confidential two-day event that focuses on sharing best practices, benchmarking, process improvement and member business review. HTG was founded in 2000 by Arlin Sorensen to provide solution providers a community to foster business and personal growth driven by execution. Visit www.htgpeergroups.com or call 712-744-3619 for more information.

About ConnectWise

ConnectWise is the leading Web-based professional service automation (PSA) software application designed exclusively for technology consultants, integrators and developers. More than 29,000 IT solution providers rely on ConnectWise to more efficiently integrate key business operations across their enterprises, from business development and project management, to client services and billing. ConnectWise technology enables IT companies to drive greater accountability, operational efficiency, profitability, and tighter systems integration. Visit www.connectwise.com for more information or call 813-463-4760.

# # #

Contact for More Information:
Christy Sacco, Heartland Tech Group
813-785-8571 / lcgoodwin@tampabay.rr.com

Lynette Bohanan, CommCentric Solutions
813-727-0196 / lbohanan@commcentricsolutions.com

View article…

The Microsoft Local Engagement Team (LET) and the SBSC Advisory Board team up to serve partners in the SMB space. In the Midwest Area, that would be me, Rick Bahl and Tracye Foy.

If you are in another area, click on the Map to identify your team.

Microsoft’s new search service, Bing, has hit the Internet with a bang. The search engine made available on May 28 has surpassed Yahoo search in its first week, according to StatCounter Global Status, an Internet research firm that tracks page loads.

View Article

My good friend Karl Palachuk is having a book sale that I think might benefit some of you.

For those of you not on his mailing list, here is a copy of the announcement he sent out this morning:

I am very pleased to announce that SMB Books is having a huge
Hot Summer Sale

- Inventory Reduction
- Close Outs
- New Products
- Overstock
- and Economic Stimulus Package
all in one.

Here’s the basic deal:
We have a bunch of books that you can get for Free when
you combine them with any other purchase at our site.
We have other books that you can get for Half Price when
you combine them with any other purchase at our site.
Hot deal are at Hot Summer Deals.
until July 31st.

Please tell your friends and neighbors.

I have several of Karl’s books in my personal library, and I would recommend any/all of them. Relax Focus Succeed is my favorite, but check out:
Service Agreements for SMB Consultants
Network Documentation Workbook
from Karl, as well as,
Powerful Ideas for Partners from Peers
from Arlin Sorensen, and
The Guide to a Successful Managed Services Practice
by Erick Simpson.

My good friend Karl Palachuk took the time to publicly expose the news hidden behind an SSL site, so I wanted to give him credit for the transcription. You can view his original post here.

“Says the MS Partner site: “The role of the SBSC Advisory Board is to provide Microsoft with real-life feedback and ground level intelligence about what is important for SBSCs. There is one SBSC Advisory Board member in each of the 10 Microsoft US Sales Areas.”

I’m not sure why the folks at Microsoft posted the details of who is on your
Advisory Board behind a password protected web site, but here they are:”

Member Neil Pearlstein (PAL)
Region West
Area Pacific Northwest Area
States AK, WA, OR, ID, NorCal, NV
PC Professional
Oakland, CA
http://www.pcprofessional.com/

Member Debi Bush
Region West
Area Southwest Area
States MT, WY, UT, CO, SoCal, AZ, NM, HI
CMIT Solutions of Denver
Denver, CO
http://www.cmitsolutions.com/denver

Member Arlin Sorensen
Region Central
Area North Central Area
States ND, SD, MN, NE, IA, KS, MO
Heartland Technology Solutions
Harlan, IA
http://www.heartlandtechnologies.com/

Member Robert Lindley
Region Central
Area South Central Area
States TX, OK, AR, LA
Innovative Systems, Inc.
Little Rock, AR
http://www.isi.cc/

Member Rick Bahl (PAL)
Region Central
Area Midwest Area
States WI, IL, IN
Quality Systems Solutions, Inc.
Carpentersville, IL
http://www.qualitysystemssolutions.com/

Member Kevin Royalty
Region Central
Area Heartland Area
States MI, OH, KY, TN
Total Care Computer Consulting
Centerville, OH
http://www.totalcarecc.com/

Member Joe Pannone
Region East
Area Northeast Area
States ME, VT, NH, Upstate NY, MA, CT, RI
Forza Technology Solutions
Wallingford, CT
http://www.forza.com/

Member Robert Cioffi (PAL)
Region East
Area New York Metro Area
States NY Metro
Progressive Computing
New York, NY
http://www.pro-comp.com/

Member Bill Hogan
Region East
Area Mid Atlantic Area
States PA, NJ, WV, VA, DE, MD
Partners Plus
New Castle, DE
http://www.partnersplus.com/

Member Mark Crall
Region East
Area Greater Southeastern Area
States GA, NC, SC, FL, AL, MS
Charlotte Tech Care Team
Charlotte, NC
http://www.techcareteam.com/

Congratulations to all.

Get it on your calendar and plan to join us!

Join Microsoft partners and employees from around the world

for a time of fellowship and prayer

at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference

New Orleans Marriott at the Convention Center

859 Convention Center Boulevard

New Orleans, Louisiana 70130

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

7:00 – 8:00 a.m.

Click Here to Register Today!

Boyd Bailey has accepted our invitation to come to New Orleans to be our speaker for the 2009 Partners in Christ prayer breakfast!

Boyd is founder and Chairman of Wisdom Hunters, LLC and is the author of two devotional books, Infusion and Seeking Daily the Heart of God; Boyd is also founder of Ministry Ventures, a venture capital firm for early stage ministries which has helped 45 start-up ministries raise over $15.5 million and impact over 35,000 people for Christ. Prior to Ministry Ventures, Bailey was the National Director for Crown Financial Ministries. He was instrumental in the expansion of Crown into 30 major markets across the U.S. He was a key facilitator in the 25 million dollar merger between Christian Financial Concepts and Crown Ministries. Before Crown he and Andy Stanley started First Baptist Atlanta’s north campus; and as an Elder, Boyd assisted Andy in the start of North Point Community Church. In college he bought a service business with five employees. This business endeavor financed his education and the equity from its sale was the economic launching pad for his graduate school experience.

Boyd Bailey was born in Huntsville, Alabama and received his Bachelor of Arts from Jacksonville State University and his Masters of Divinity from Southwestern Seminary in FT. Worth, Texas. Boyd and his wife Rita live in Roswell, GA. They have been married 30 years and are blessed with four daughters and two son-in-laws who love Jesus!

Again this year we will be providing all attendees a free book, Boyd’s Infusion devotional.

We also will be having prayer time on Mon, Tues, Thur and Fri mornings at 6:30 AM. It will be held at the Residence Inn New Orleans Convention Center at 345 St. Joseph Street. Exact room location will be in the daily update where we will count down the days to WPC and the Partners in Christ breakfast. If you won’t be in New Orleans, or aren’t in the technology business, we ask you join us in praying for our industry and the marketplace ministry we are working to establish. We need God’s touch to make things happen for His glory and honor and praise. Hope to see many of you in NOLA.

Questions? Contact mailto:info@partnersinchrist.net?subject=Partners

Microsoft has officially announced the release of Windows 7 & Windows Server 2008 R2. For more information on how this affects you as a Microsoft Partner, see Eric Ligman’s post Windows 7 coming October 22, 2009, along with Windows Server 2008 R2

So, have you tried Bing yet? I’ve been playing with it for the past two days… Kinda sounds funny to say “playing with” a search engine, but that’s what I’ve been doing. So far I’m impressed.

Check out Eric’s post at Get a sneak peek at the Bing commercials launching tonight. Here is a Bing commercial to get you started.