Why should Microsoft partner with ISVs that we compete with?

Greetings and Salutations! My name is Raj and I manage Microsoft’s relationships with several of the leading Enterprise Content Management (ECM) ISVs. In Karl’s previous post he talked about how to work with Microsoft when you are afraid we’ll eat your lunch. I’m going to take a different approach and discuss why Microsoft wants to partner with ISVs and enable us both to share a bigger and better lunch.

One of the questions that ISVs and customers often ask me is “Why is Microsoft partnering with ISVs in the Enterprise Content Management space?” This is especially curious to them when Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 (MOSS 2007) is Microsoft’s fastest growing server product and potentially competes with these ISVs products. Since I manage the relationships with ISVs such as Documentum, Open Text, and others, I thought it might be helpful to share my thoughts.

While there are many technology based reasons for partnering with ISVs in the ECM ecosystem, the most compelling reason why Microsoft should and does partner with others, in my opinion, is to bring choice and better value to our joint customers.

Microsoft’s goal as a platform company is to provide the best value for the largest segment of the customer base. Often the best value requires the software and expertise of more than one company. Even though we may be in competition with these ISVs in certain areas, we can cooperate with them in other areas to bring a better value to our mutual customers. This is why I believe that partnering is even more important, in fact it is a responsibility, when you are a market leader.

In my next blog I will highlight some examples of how Microsoft works with the ECM ISVs that I manage.  In the meantime, I would welcome your thoughts and feedback.

Best,

Raj Rajesh – Business Development Manager, Microsoft

Comments

• Anonymous
  September 26, 2007
  PingBack from http://www.artofbam.com/wordpress/?p=3132

• Anonymous
  September 28, 2007
  Good post, and an important one for many partners to read. I have a question about this blog: is there a reason you don't provide full posts in your RSS feed?  It would be much appreciated.

• Anonymous
  October 02, 2007
  What do you think about ISV's that add enough value to the MOSS stack that EPG accounts are selecting that solution over the traditional ECM players? More specfically what do you think about the solution and technology Knowledgelake offers the market and where would you position?

• Anonymous
  October 03, 2007
  Knowledgelake is good example of an ISV developing a successful business by providing Document Imaging and Capture solutions for MOSS. While Knowledgelake is fundamentally different than the traditional ECM players who tend to cover a broader spectrum of functionality traditionally associated with ECM, it is good example of the specific opportunities for ISVs that MOSS creates. Thank-you for your support. Raj

• Anonymous
  October 17, 2007
  Thank you for your suggestion.  We've modified the blog and are now providing the full blog posts in our RSS feed.

• Anonymous
  November 14, 2007
  Greetings! My name is Persio and I manage Microsoft’s relationships with several of the leading ERP,

• Anonymous
  November 14, 2007
  Greetings! My name is Persio and I manage Microsoft’s relationships with several of the leading ERP,

• Anonymous
  June 10, 2008
  Hi Folks, My name is Baptiste. Don’t be surprised by my first name, I am not an evangelist (neither technical