Microsoft moves to calm channel anguish

Vendor claims certification updates are good news for the channel, and insists Pinpoint is "as good as it has ever been"

Microsoft has answered criticism from the channel, claiming that its certification updates were designed for partners' benefit, as well as insisting that its search tool Pinpoint is fit for purpose.

The vendor giant came under fire last week as partners complained that the new MCSE 2012 cloud certification took too much time to complete, costing them money, with changes to the Microsoft Partner Network (MPN) logo causing similar uproar.

Earlier this year, Pinpoint was subject to a scam scandal as partners uploaded misleading information to the search engine, an issue that Janet Gibbons (pictured), director of partner strategy and programmes at Microsoft, said is now resolved.

"As a direct response [to February's issues]... we audit Pinpoint randomly every month. It is important to us from customer perspective to make sure [the information] is right," she added.

The vendor claims 35 per cent of UK customer leads come from the search tool, and Gibbons said she has a target to ensure 200,000 leads are generated by it by the end of the year.

She added: "Pinpoint has never been as strict. It is as good as it has ever been at the moment."

The tool received criticism from one partner, which claimed the engine did not display companies correctly, and complained that national businesses took priority in local searches.

Gibbons added that the algorithm applied to the tool takes into account a number of factors, including the level and number of competencies as well as recent customer references, but advised any partners who are unhappy with the service to get in touch for advice on how to improve their rankings and ensure there are no technical errors.

The vendor also defended the release of further certification exam updates, claiming that the new MCSE 2012 cloud-based exam was "good news" for the channel and was designed to make partners' lives easier.

Gibbons said: "When we announced the [Office365 exam], we got feedback that it sounded really hard, and if the truth be told, the exam was hard. So what we did was listen and changed that – it should be good news.

"Our training partners do a lot to minimise the cost [for partners]; there is loads of free training available.

"In the movement towards cloud, a lot is changing and it is in everyone's interest to keep up with that."

Gibbons was unable to comment on recent MPN logo change, but in a statement, Microsoft said: "The key point of the change was the adherence to our new metro style and partner feedback that the "nest" was difficult shape and size to implement.

"The logo goes into effect in October and partners have 12 months to implement the required changes."