Article

Directions EMEA 2017: Microsoft shares core beliefs that Dynamics SMB partners can embrace

by Guus Krabbenborg
Owner of Dynamics and More, Dynamics and More

Editor's Note: This article is adapted from the Directions 2017 Business Report for Dynamics partners.

As a longtime Microsoft-observer with a perspective geared toward Microsoft Dynamics, I'd like to share some of my impressions of the important trends from this year's Directions EMEA 2017 in Madrid.

The Microsoft Dynamics SMB partner community has never been awaited a Directions EMEA event as it did this year's edition. There were two main reasons for that. First, they recognize the growing importance of the Dynamics 365 concept for both the Dynamics NAV and the Dynamics CRM channels. Second, they are facing confusion around the go-to-market models around Dynamics 365 that was created by Microsoft at the US edition a few weeks before.

Microsoft succeeded in clarifying the product strategies and go-to-market initiatives for Dynamics 365 in the SMB markets. Marko Perisic, general manager Dynamics 365 for SMB markets, explained to the audience why some of the initiatives as communicated at DIRECTIONS US were not that smart after all. And together with his team he delivered some fantastic product demonstrations.

So Microsoft's overall performance at this event took away most of the confusion and was instrumental in building trust in the companies' future product directions. Here are some of the core values and beliefs that Microsoft shared about their future direction.

  • Microsoft explained why they decided to no longer use the split between the SMB variant (Business Edition) and its bigger brother (Enterprise Edition) based on the somewhat artificial 250 employees border. The new approach will allow Microsoft and its partners to start the product discussion based on the customer's needs. Of course this is a starting point that makes sense!
  • ...

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About Guus Krabbenborg

Guus Krabbenborg has been active in the world of business software for more than 30 years. He has held various sales and management positions at Philips, Digital Equipment, DBS Business Solutions and Navision Software successively.

From 2007, Guus was co-founder and partner in Partner Master Class, the Dutch Partner Development Center.

In 2012 Guus was co-founder and co-owner in QBS Group – today known as Companial (www.companial.com). He left the company in 2021. Companial operates as a Value Added Distributor in the Microsoft Dynamics channel with currently over 1.000 partners in 75+ countries all over the world. This makes Companial the largest eco-system in the Dynamics 365 partner channel worldwide.

In 2018, Guus started a new venture, called Dynamics and More. In this company he focuses on helping both Microsoft partners and Microsoft customers in their business transformation and digital transformation processes. He also delivers inspirational Masterclasses for software selection and Organisational Change.

In 2024, Guus started an initiative called ERP Masterclasses (www.erpmasterclasses.com) to help current and future D365 customers prepare them (better) ...

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