This year is being held in New Orleans. For those partners who have received a questionairre on if they are attending please be assured it is going ahead. dates have changed since last year, they are now going to be July 13th - July 16th.
If you are thinking of attending and want advice post here.
The networking is fantastic, whether you are on your own or in a big company there is something for everyone. Mingle with Microsoft execs, party with the competitors and do business thousands of miles from home
are you planning on going?
To add to this - the event is definately going ahead. Interestingly the survey showed that the majority of our partners are still planning on attending this year, and will be sending 2+ attendees per company. This shows that you clearly value the opportunity that WPC presents.
The survey also showed a large number of partners who want us to hold a UK specific event locally - I'd be interested to hear from you how exactly you imagine this working. The great things about WPC is that you have the opportunity to hear from the corp execs, attend a broad range of meetings/labs focussed on any technology you need , networking with partners outside of UK etc - holding a local event wouldn't have this, so my question is what exactly would you want from a UK event?
Emma
We see tremendous value in attending WPC and advise all partners we work with to build the cost of sending a couple of people over into the marketing budget. As regards good places to go, the last time WPC was held in N.O I was there and most of us UK people spent a mjority of the time in the BBC bar - it was really cool, live music and great atmosphere (think I have some pictures somewhere of a few people) ... not sure if it is still there though ..
Emma, to answer a bit about the UK event. I think that most of us will agree the main reason we go to WPC is to a) hear the corp messages and keynotes from Steve, Alison et al b) for tecchies to hear what going on with the product roadmaps and c) for the opportunity to network (particularly with being able to meet with MS UK people you might not otherwise get to). We had a highly productive event last year and built some amazing relationships which have gone through to deliver for us. However, ALOT of the messages communicated are relative to the US market and not so much the UK. I think it would be awesome (and we have talked about doing this during the re-launch of the IAMCP UK which is coming up soon) if we could take those corp messages and then have a UK event which goes through all of that and positions it for the UK market. Also, we know that UK has autonomy with which marketing initiatives are taken up each FY, this would be a great opportunity to push this information through and give all partners more time to align with what the UK sub is doing.
Finally, partners partnering is the hot topic for us - and current UK events (for obvious reasons) focus on delivering information to specific partner types/groups. There is not often the opportunity for different partner types to mix and network and that is where they could uncover opportunities to work together and build joint value propositions.
I was talking about a UK WPC the other day and came up with my plan for how it could be done.
The keynotes would be streamed from the US over to the UK and a couple of the rooms would be set aside for peple to view these. Of course, due to the time difference this would either have to be held in the evening and/or the next day. I realise this wouldn't have quite the same impact as being there with the 12,000+ other people but it would still be pretty good and certainly better than nothing :-)
As a lot of the tech seminars were computer based hands on labs, these could be delivered and completed just as well at TVP as in the States. I think the experience would be just the same as if one was at the WPC...
Finally, the networking would be perhaps more relevant, as it would be with just other UK partners-so partners that are most likely to assist you. When I was in Houston I spent a lot of time talking to partners from around the world and while it was a great experience and very interesting, I doubt I'll ever use those contacts!
"Throughout your life advance daily, becoming more skillful than yesterday, more skillful than today. This is never-ending."
Hi
Any advise for good hotel near by? I am not sure where or which will be prefered by many so that we can network and meet there. So how about we answer here where we will be staying or plan to stay?
Regards
Kartik Shah
The best advice I can give is book the hotel nearest to the conference centre. no busses required (except for the parties) if you have lots of takeaways you can put them in your room. you can have a quick break etc.
As for a UK Conference. I am amazed there isn't one and I really want one. I'm off to Dublin tomorrow to speak at the Irish partner conference - yes why them and not us? Is it because if we had one in the UK there would be less people attending the WPC? I for one would go to both.
Last year at WPC I heard Alison was off to Aussie to host their Partner Conference so surely she would come here, Steve too if only for the strong beer.
There are enough partners in the UK to warrant an event, and I'm not talking the usual events with a morning and afternoon of powerpoint that you can gain more from if you downloaded them but one similiar to WPC with training sessions from MCT's MVP's and MS staff. UK announcements, UK software talks, presentations from UK partners on software and developments more relevant to them rather than the US only software presentations we tend to get at WPC.
At last years WPC there was a lot of excitement about the cloud from the execs, fair enough the excitement seemed to be shown more from them than the partners but it had no relevance at all to us UK people because it wasnt available here then.
I flew back from Redmond this week after meeting with the SBS/EBS product teams and gained so much knowledge from them, why can't we do it in the UK?
Yes the execs are going to get asked awkward questions here but rightly so. why is open licensing way more expensive than retail? one is based on the euro and the other the dollar. rip off Britain remains and Microsoft play a big part of that in our community. On the other hand Microsoft in the UK in my opinion do a great job, I just wish they would show us UK partners that they don't bow down to Corp and can actually get the US teams to be jealous of us.
Very fair feedback - we've tried in previous years to run smaller events in the UK, from the UK partner conference in 2007, to the channel summits last year and this year, but feedback has always been that partners would rather go to WPC. Having said that I know that securing funds to attend WPC this year will be a challenge, so we'll be taking a hard look at what we can offer in the UK - and I'll be using what you say hear as the basis for my thoughts.
Answering the above question re hotels to stay at - we're just finalising the partner FAQ with info on hotels etc, so I'll upload this to the group (if this site allows me to).
There is a hotel recommended for all UK people, personally I'm staying in the Hilton riverside due to large rooms and being very close to the conference centre. looking on the WPC site there are a few very close to choose from, saves catching transport to and from.
The idea of a UK Partner conference is an interesting one, however I think to have it so localised would lose the impact that attending WPC has on you. I appreciate that the message isn't always relevant, the example of BPOS from last year....but it has arrived now and we were all aware of it in advance. Also the final day now has a more regional feel to it with the UK having their own keynote. I guess there is only so much news to be announced and if this event took place after the main WPC then we would have got the stories already from the web.
Also holding it in the UK many partners would no doubt make their way home soon after the keynotes have finished and the networking side would be lost. When you're at WPC you can at least concetrate on the conference due to the time zone and not get too distracted with events back in the office. We find its useful to have a few of us out there to take some time to reflect on our own business and strategy while we are away as well as looking at what MS are planning. The enthusiasm I still get from going to WPC (this will be the 6th) always benefits me, not sure that would happen at a UK event!
I did wonder why they never had a European Partner Conference though...similar to TechnEd at different times of the year to the main WPC..the scale would still be impressive and the expo would be good as well.... just a thought!
An interesting thought Liam and one that I don't disagree with. WPC in my opinion is an amazing event and would recommend it to everyone, like you this is my 6th year I think (I'm getting old I'm losing count) but ask around the partner base, how many people can't afford the airfare in July as well as the accommodation, how many small businesses can't afford the time out for a week let alone the cost because America isn't cheap in July as we both know and over £1000 entrance fee on top immediately puts some people off.
I'm not talking about a WPC in the UK, I'm talking about a mini WPC at a time when we can get some global players in to our country with lots of things happening at once with loads of partners from all around the UK big and small. A Euro partner conference is also a good idea. None of this would stop me going to WPC where like you I gain so much but would be in addition.
You know by now we are starting to see the same old faces at WPC, don't you think it would be nice to expand that with fresh faces and give people a chance who can't normally afford the expense or time to do what we do whilst we are away.
yes BPOS was disappointing for me and others and yes its out now but if I am paying over £1000 for entrance I want to hear what is good for me not what is good for me a year on. WPC should be exactly that, Microsoft promoting solutions that are available globally. can you imagine this year the conference being about Zune? wouldn't interest us in the slightest because its not a UK product available but might be in a few years maybe?.
I'm getting very opinionated here Liam, I have to say these are my thoughts and not necessarily the opinion of others.
There are 3 types of people who go to WPC.
1) those that spend all day at the conference and make the most of it.
2) those that spend all day at the conference and make the most of it. and then network at all the parties in the evenings
3) those that network at the parties in the evenings and pop in to the conference when they sober up
I come in number 2 but I have to say there is nothing wrong with any of those types of people because they all get value out of the event. for those that have never been I strongly recommend you try it just one year, trust me you'll go again the following year simply because of the value you get out of it. If we can do a mini one in the UK or Europe I would go to both and gain value.
Great discussion - and we are looking really closely at how we run events for our partners this year. I think you're right - there is a place for both WPC and something big, more locally (although the type of value gained at each one will be very different) - which is just what we're putting thought to right now.....at least - ahem - we will do when we're we're back from New Orleans .
Andy,
I do agree you about the conference having a US flavour to its agenda, we were quite happy BPOS was not arriving straight away as we had invested in our own hosting platform, so to get a foothold was great...but I digress!
I think I may have the got the wrong end of the stick with the concept, if there was a partner event scheduled sensibly and we could get some big names over it would be beneficial. Maybe a weekend event? this may help those smaller partners that as you say can ill afford the time away from the office.
I do remember a Microsoft Event held at the ICC in Birmingham around 1997, (FastTrack???) we were only about 5 strong at the time and it was a Friday afternoon and a saturday and was very good, including an evening event in Birmingham, there was a key note on both days then various tracks aroud the building. Maybe revisiting this format would help...if its in a major city the weekend accomadation is often more reasonable so keeps the cost down. I think if this was run we would also send more of our teams, let them see what its all about...let them feed on some of the famous MS enthusiasm, that currently is not an option with the conference in the States.
Fully agree with the 3 types of conference attendees....witjhout upsetting the MS folk on here, we have stugglled to see some of the PAM's the morning after the night before over the last couple of years! Like yourself we make sure we are there for the keynotes...even if the head is a little sore.
Liam
Dear Andy & Liam
Interesting to read the discussion between you on the value and suggested localising of WPC. I recall attending the FasTrack event in Birmingham in 1997 wasn't it hosted by Jonathan Ross? There were some great sessions happening and as I remember about 75% of UK partners attended - which I am sure was a much smaller channel then, than it is today.
I think WPC or any event that Microsoft runs like this is what you make it. We recommend it to every partner - after all where else can you get the kind of direction and information on strategy from the horse's mouth like this. I agree that sometimes the content is a little further ahead in the US than the UK market - but eventually things will land here, and partners that get early visibility from WPC have a significant advantage to prepare their businesses and approaches to align with the Corporate strategy. UK are already "fixing" elements of this with the UK Regional session on Thursday as you say.
The networking is also awesome - from the Microsoft UK staff in particular. They make themselves available for meetings, share contact details and objectives and give insight and support. They have the bandwidth to do this at WPC, whereas they often don't when they are all back doing their day jobs! So that in itself is worthwhile. Add to that the opportunity to meet with other partners, all the technical, sales and marketing sessions and training, PAC meetings etc ... and then lay the social element on top - I really don't get the view of any partner that doesn't see the value in attending.
As regards localising - I can only imagine the massive cost of this to Microsoft UK, doing this is a huge chunk of the overall budget and MS UK would need to have a real sense that partners would want this and would attend - AND would feedback on the ROI they got as a result. If only we could find a way to get UK partners thinking this way then I am sure Microsoft UK would go for it. As with any investment it has to deliver return. This is really difficult when partners rarely go back and say "as a result of attending xxxx, I won xxx new business, selling xxxx technoloy solutions"...
Finally, we are having a number of discussions around the events run in the Regions. With an investment in new regional roles this year maybe localising even more would get prople to go along. Something to think about (which I am sure MS already are)...
Maybe we all can help to drive some of these things forward as we all seem to be on the same page here ...
See you at WPC
Julie
On a more trivial note i noticed that no partner celbration is listed on the agenda this year....can anyone from microsoft comfirm whether its been cut from the event? Always a very impressive night and a great conclusion to the week.
Hiya
Partner Celebration is on Thursday night, Jazz Fest in the Convention Centre - is all I have heard/seen. Daniel/Yvonne can you confirm?
J