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INSPIRE DOES NOT INSPIRE Featured

InspireWhatever the body count at Microsoft's recent Inspire conference, it was clear the event did not inspire a lot of Dynamics VARs. Inspire replaced the Worldwide Partner Conference, which kicked off in booze-soaked fashion in New Orleans in 2003.

But over the years, Dynamics resellers cut down on the number of attendees for their firms or skipped WPC completely. Emails to a few VARS this week drew a similar reaction (Or I only know people who are negative about the show). Most didn't attend. One commented, "It's really a waste of time for Dynamics partners." He said an executive from his firm who did go reported, "he learned absolutely nothing new....if you don't count the normal July reorganization going on." A CEO of another organization responded, "No, I didn't waste my time going. I had too many great clients and opportunities to attend to." As in the past, a prime reason for attending is to pick up major awards. Beyond that, the proliferating number of smaller conferences have more relevant. NAV VARs go to Directions, their long-standing event. Many users, who once relied on Convergence, before Microsoft killed it by trying to change it, opt for the Dynamics User Group Summits sponsored by Dynamics communities. The problem with Inspire is the same one that was apparent in 2003 when much of the audience, largely classic Microsoft partners, walked out as Doug Burgum, then the VP who headed Microsoft Business Solutions, began speaking. Classic partners and Dynamics VARs do not have a lot in common. The Dynamics channel is much more sophisticated because the business is much more sophisticated. Mid-market resellers need a lot more out of conferences than cheer-leading and crowd rousing.

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