Microsoft stunningly pulled the plug on EBS today. It’s a stunning move because the highly anticipated version 2 was near release. Code was complete, TAP (technology access preview) customers were running it in production, TAP customers were recently flown in from around the world for training, and MVP’s received in depth information and training on the new version. The consensus of everyone who had used the new version was that it was a homerun and would live up to the promise made to the mid-market. An excitement was in the air.
Batter up! EBS V2 at bat, bases loaded with companies 25-500 users. Microsoft bean counter pitching. SBS 2010 standing way back in right field picking daisies. EBS is using 2 bats today, one traditional and one interesting new lean bat. Awaiting the pitch. Time out! Here comes Marketing from the sidelines to the pitching mound. It seems the pitcher is refusing to pitch to EBS. EBS is out of the game.
We saw something similar happen with Response Point. Just as V2, chock full of requested features and lesson learned from V1 and a partner community revving up, the Response Point plug got pulled. It makes one wonder if Microsoft has the stomach for marketing building; if they can create a new product and stand behind it long enough for the marketing to develop and the partner community to join in.
It’s a sad day for all involved. My condolences to the development team. You put in so much hard work.
So who wrote this blog and what do they do for a living anyway?
We’re Third Tier. We provide advanced Third Tier support for IT Professionals.
Get Support 
Blog 
Twitter 
Facebook 
LinkedIN
Things like this and as you mentioned Response Point designed for SMB-market make it very hard on partners to support new product offerings from Microsoft which in turn makes it very difficult for those products to succeed. Microsoft has historically been an enterprise company and does not understand the SMB Space as an organization. There are definitely some teams in Microsoft that really get the space but it seems lately they are not given enough time to be successful before getting the rug yanked out from underneath them. With Response Point (and it seems EBS) the V2 releases would have provided much need functionality that would have made the products much more successful in the market. Seems like a senseless waste of effort, money, talent and partner goodwill.