The Changing Face of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Partner Channel, Mirrored in Upcoming Event

For Microsoft Dynamics CRM partners who were able to attend WPC 2012, the news going into the event like the miss on the mobile and cross-browser support, as well as the news made during the event  - plans for Windows 8 and HTML 5 apps and the development of new process driven UI paradigm - were a lot to digest. And with only a few new details shared since July, this fall and winter ought to deliver some better answers for the channel to bring to their clients and prospects.

Partners were mostly forgiving of the miss, says John Verdon, a director of the eXtremeCRM conference series, whose next event opens on September 30 in Las Vegas. But, he says, there is a need for Microsoft to provide more usable information so partners aren't explaining delays on their own.  Verdon says his event, starting October 1, is expected to offer the next good look at Microsoft's progress on its revamped CRM roadmap.

The eXtremeCRM events are in their third year, having put on annual US and European shows starting in 2010.  Growth in attendance this year is pulling in new professionals, some of whom are either in newly formed businesses or emerging from different product areas like SharePoint and Office 365.

eXtreme CEO Christy Spokely say they also see larger VARs joining with an interest in staying current with their peers and with Microsoft. "The makeup of the attendees is really coming from different parts of the channel," says Spokely. "Some that are out ...