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.
From my experience with how Microsoft handled the discontinuation of the Microsoft Small Business Financials product, current RP developements sound eerily similar. The first step was putting the product in a "holding pattern". One difference that I can see is that there appears to be a much more active partner community. (Could Harry Brelsford have anything to do with that? ;-)
My opinion remains that if you are a good VAR (or Trusted Advisor), work with Microsoft resources and you have the possibility of emerging stronger than before.
You might have interest in my previous post that talks a little about RP Var Survival.
My Research on Windows Based Phone System Compared to Response Point.
All about growing small businesses using Microsoft Technologies to compete and grow. Microsoft Dynamics GP (aka Great Plains) and the now defunct Microsoft Small Business Financials and Windows Server infrastructure.
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2 comments:
That really is a bummer. I have a response point system sitting here in my office for myself, but I was kinda waiting to install it until they came out with 2.0. Oh well, maybe they still will. :)
Yes, while it doesn't affect me directly I really know the feeling.
We had a large part of our business around Microsoft Small Business Financials when they discontinued it. But I am highly impressed with how Microsoft handled it. We worked closely with them and emerged in an even stronger position than we started.
It's the VARs just getting into a product that really get hit.
Take a look at a Windows based phone system. It might fit into what you do?
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