2-page Partner Case Study - Posted 3/19/2007

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Uptime Group, The

IT Provider Sees Increased Revenue and Growth Potential with Partner Program

A Linux solution provider, The Uptime Group joined the Microsoft® Partner Program after realizing the program’s advantages for customers. The company started helping customers migrate from a Red Hat Linux environment to Microsoft Windows® Small Business Server 2003 because, in many cases, The Uptime Group considers it a superior option to the equivalent Linux solution. The company also saw an 84 percent revenue increase in 2005 alone.

Business Needs

The Uptime Group began in 2001 with the mission of delivering the best technology solutions for the greatest value. The company quickly focused on building Linux-based systems to meet the needs of traditionally cost-sensitive small businesses. “We targeted the underserved small business market and were able to be extremely competitive by bringing in lower-cost technology for companies that needed it,” explains Patty Laushman, President of The Uptime Group.

It’s easy to see that Microsoft has a vested interest in our success because it does so much to foster our growth. Patty Laushman President, The Uptime Group

Even though it had open source roots, The Uptime Group viewed itself as technology agnostic. Its experience with Microsoft® products had been limited to client-side software, which the company usually integrated into Red Hat Linux environments. But times were changing. “Microsoft made great strides to meet the needs of small business customers like ours, especially with such powerful, cost-effective offerings as Microsoft Windows® Small Business Server 2003, and others,” says Laushman. “We’ve always focused on proposing the right solution to solve an individual customer’s issues. And we began to find that, particularly for IT infrastructure, the best solution was usually one from Microsoft.”

Solution

Still, when approached by Microsoft about becoming a member of the Microsoft Partner Program in 2003, The Uptime Group accepted with a certain degree of skepticism. “After all, we were a Linux provider, so we weren’t sure why Microsoft wanted us to join. But the Microsoft representative said that as long as we gave Microsoft an equal opportunity based on the merits of its software, it would fully support us,” says Laushman. “That made sense for both The Uptime Group and Microsoft and was consistent with our customer-centric approach.”

Since 2003, when customers are ready to upgrade their server hardware, The Uptime Group has often helped them migrate from their Linux environments to an infrastructure that is based on Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003. “If a company needs an integrated solution that has the capacity to share information and interoperate with other applications, we usually recommend Microsoft as the best option,” says Laushman, “even if that customer comes to us initially wanting to go with open source.”

But it wasn’t just software that proved beneficial to the partner. The Uptime Group soon began to experience firsthand the differences between the Microsoft program and others. “None of the partner programs could even begin to compete with the value of the Microsoft Partner Program,” says Laushman. “I was amazed at the number of areas included. From technical training to marketing campaigns, we’re able to extend our capabilities because of our relationship with Microsoft.”

In December 2006, The Uptime Group increased its level of partnership, moving to Microsoft Certified Partner status. “Our Microsoft Partner Account Manager helped guide us through the certification process,” says Laushman. “I thought that the process would be too time-consuming or labor-intensive and that our credentials might not qualify us for certification, but he helped us get the experience that we needed to fulfill our obligations. He really looked out for our best interests.”

Benefits

With its increased participation in the Microsoft Partner Program, The Uptime Group is receiving the support that it needs to help its business grow. For instance, in 2005, The Uptime Group saw an 84 percent increase in revenue, due primarily to the growth in its Microsoft business. “Microsoft-related projects used to account for about 20 percent of our earnings; they now make up 80 percent,” says Laushman. “It’s easy to see that Microsoft has a vested interest in our success because it does so much to foster our growth.”

Improved value for customers. Joining the program has made The Uptime Group a more valuable IT resource for its customers, thanks to all the information and expertise it has available. Says Laushman, “We know about sales incentives, hear about new software developments, and receive advanced training about upcoming product releases—all of which enable us to deliver more useful guidance and sophisticated service to our small business customers, who rely on us for recommendations. And if we don’t have deep expertise in an area in which they need help, we have access to a vast network of other Microsoft partners that do.”

Increased sales and marketing opportunities. To enhance the power and effectiveness of its campaigns, The Uptime Group takes advantage of the in-depth market research that Microsoft conducts and shares with its partners. “I know that by using that research and the validated messaging I get through the program, I’m communicating in ways that resonate most with my target audience. Plus, the data and tools that Microsoft makes available allows me to pull together integrated campaigns 75 percent more quickly,” says Laushman.

Practical solutions for customers. “Over the years, we have seen the enormous advantages of using Microsoft software for IT infrastructure in many of our customers’ situations,” says Laushman. “Microsoft solutions meet their needs at reasonable prices, and customers like having a company like Microsoft standing behind their products.”