Small businesses that switch to Vista can get free Microsoft support
July 8, 2008 – 4:45 pmMicrosoft Corp., trying to repair Windows Vista’s image among small businesses, says it will offer a period of free technical support to those that switch to it in the next three months.
The unusual offer will attempt to overcome negative feelings that persist toward the operating system as a result of its problems in areas such as compatibility with printers and other devices. Microsoft says many of those problems have been fixed, and it thinks small businesses that upgrade will be surprised.
Microsoft’s research shows that small businesses using Windows Vista are three times more positive toward it than those basing their opinions on what they hear, said Greg Amrofell, small-business lead product manager in Microsoft’s Windows division.
Windows Vista was launched in January 2007. The debut of the small-business service offering coincides with Microsoft’s move to phase out Vista’s predecessor, Windows XP. The company stopped selling XP to retailers and major PC makers last week.
“What we’ve heard in feedback from small-business customers is that the gradual wind-down of XP sales … has caused them some anxiety,” Amrofell said. “In reaction to that feedback, we created this program to really provide resources to help them through the transition.”
The Windows Vista “Small Business Assurance” program is slated to be announced Tuesday at Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference in Houston. The company says the offer applies to small businesses buying new PCs with Windows Vista Business or Windows Vista Ultimate between July 1 and Sept. 30. Support will be available through Oct. 31. It won’t be offered to businesses upgrading existing PCs to the new operating system.
For purposes of the offer, Microsoft says it’s defining small businesses as those with 50 or fewer employees, or 25 or fewer PCs. Microsoft’s offer includes unlimited telephone support calls during the support period.
Source:seattlepi.nwsource.com
