Microsoft Customer Reference ExplainedInformation for Customers

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The Microsoft Dynamics Customer Reference Program helps market-leading organizations that use

Microsoft Dynamics technology innovatively to communicate their experiences to key industry

influencers and the broader marketplace. We want to work closely with you to capture your story and

explore opportunities for promoting that story so your status as an innovator is clearly visible to your

target audience and potential customers. This document clearly outlines the steps involved in the

process to ensure your participation in different reference activities—such as sharing your experiences

with prospective customers or the creation of compelling and excellent customer evidence—is

rewarding and problem-free.

Participate as a SalesReference

● Customer-to-Customer Call This activity involves speaking with

a prospective customer considering a

Microsoft Dynamics solution. A Microsoft

reference manager cooperates with you

and your partner to set up the call between

you and the prospective customer.

● Onsite Visit A prospective customer visits your business

location at a mutually convenient time

and sees how you have implemented

your Microsoft Dynamics solution. Your

Microsoft partner or sales representative

may also take part at this event.

Participate as a MarketingReference

● Case Studies In case studies of one to six pages

in length, Microsoft focuses on your

company’s experience using a

Microsoft Dynamics solution.

One-Page Solution BriefA solution brief is a one-page document

that gives a brief overview about the

challenges you faced and how you

addressed them using Microsoft Dynamics

technologies. It includes your logo and

a quote attributed to your company.

What is the Customer Reference Program?

Two-Page Mini Case StudyThe mini case study includes more detail

than a solution brief while still providing a

succinct overview of the situation you faced,

the solution you deployed, and the benefits

you achieved. Where the solution brief uses

bullet points, the mini case study has sufficient

space to develop these benefits into short

paragraphs and expand on key areas.

Four-Page Mini Case StudyThe case study includes in-depth analysis of

the business challenges you faced, the

solution you deployed, and the business

benefits you achieved. Where possible, the

case study includes quantifiable benefits,

such as figures for return on investment and

total cost of ownership. We realize it can be

difficult to provide financial metrics

sometimes, in which case, we can use other

measures of success, such as increased

productivity or reduced workloads.

Business Value Case StudyThe business value case study is a very

detailed analysis of your company, the

business challenges you faced, the solution

you deployed, and the consequent benefits

you enjoyed. Using recognized analytic

tools, a trained consultant conducts the

interviews for this case study face to face.

The key focus is on drawing out measures

of the business value your company derives

from the Microsoft solution through the use

of metrics, which the consultant can help

you to calculate as appropriate. Due to the

nature of this piece, it requires executive

sponsorship from within your organization.

● Video Shoot

Your company is featured in a two-to

five- minute video used at events,

posted on the Web, and shown to other

customers, press, and analysts worldwide.

● Press Interview

Journalists are often interested in

speaking to customers about their

IT deployments for news, features,

and special-focus supplements

● Event Speaking

Events are aimed at senior decisionmakers,

press, and analysts and provide a unique

opportunity for you to share your

experience and benefit from the best

practice of others.

● Advertising

Microsoft sometimes uses customer

references in advertising campaigns,

both locally and internationally.

● Customer Quotes

With your permission, Microsoft

sometimes uses customer quotes for

marketing materials or advertising

campaigns.

Every effort is made to ensure you are

involved in as many of your preferred

activities as possible, but the final

decision is based on the compatibility

of your story with wider Microsoft

objectives and the maturity of your

technology implementation.

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Why participate in the Dynamics CustomerReference Program?

The Microsoft Dynamics Customer Reference

Program aims to help you demonstrate

your organization’s competitive advantage,

innovation, best practice, and leading

services. It also raises the profile of key

company executives within your industry

and helps you develop deeper, mutually

beneficial relationships with Microsoft.

Customer evidence provides your business

with better means of communication to

inspire success. You have the opportunity

to participate in Microsoft programs,

marketing activities, and product

launches, helping your business gain the

international recognition it deserves. This

will undoubtedly help to attract and retain

customers and expand your market reach.

If you do agree to participate in the

program for marketing reference activities,

your story or stories will also be featured

on www.microsoft.com, where thousands

of executives and decision-makers look

for innovative solutions for their business

needs. They will also be used on internal

Microsoft Web sites, at sales presentations,

internal Microsoft publications, and as

collateral at major technology events.

The Dynamics Customer Reference Program benefits your business in a variety of ways. By taking part,

you can promote your business to diverse audiences and influence organizations around the world.

For examples of existing customer evidence, please visit:www.microsoft.com/casestudies

The following section guides you through

the process for joining the Microsoft

Dynamics Customer Reference Program.

We understand you are very busy, and we

greatly appreciate the time you will be

investing in working with us. As such, we

have tried to make the process as simple as

possible to ensure minimal disruption.

1. Setting Up InterviewsYour local contact person for the Customer

Reference Team will contact you to confirm

your availability for a 20- to 30-minute

telephone interview. The interview will cover

contact details and basic information about

your Dynamics implementation and arrange

your preferred reference activities and the

way we contact you in the future.

What we need from you:

● 20-30 minutes of your time

on the phone.

2. Release Agreement FormAt the end of this document, you will find

a copy of the Microsoft release agreement

form. If you want to participate in the

Microsoft Dynamics Customer Reference

Program, please sign this form and fax it

to your local customer reference contact

person or to +49 89 3176 2405, marked for

the attention of the “Dynamics Customer

Reference Team.”

What we need from you:

● A signed copy of the release agreement

form returned to your local Dynamics

Customer Reference contact person.

3. Cooperation with Microsoft as a ReferenceOnce we have received a signed release

agreement form, the Microsoft Reference

Team matches your profile to incoming

reference requests from our sales and

marketing departments. If your profile

meets the criteria for a reference need,

your local contact person will contact you

to verify your availability for every single

reference activity.

Creating Customer Reference:Process and Steps

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Dynamics Customer Reference Guidelines ● Because your time is valuable, you can

set a limit on the number of contacts

per reference activity, within a period

of six months.

● Microsoft will try to match reference

requests by industry or vertical market,

product, company size, and location.

● Microsoft will handle all the logistics of

arranging a contact with a prospective

customer or activity. You will receive an

initial call or brief prior to any activity.

You decide prior to each activity if it

suits your schedule.

● Site visits—which are against some

customers’ company policies—are

arranged entirely at your discretion.

● You can opt-out of the program at any

time by sending an e-mail message to

ref-emea@microsoft.com

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The Microsoft Release Agreement Form.Microsoft needs you or a representative from your organization to sign the release

agreement form so we can use the collateral produced. Like all legal documents, the form

looks quite daunting. Please do not worry about this. You are a valued customer, and

Microsoft will not abuse your trust. The Customer Evidence Team will ensure you have

final approval of all documents.

In short, the document says Microsoft does not have the authority to use your customer

evidence without your consent. As a courtesy to you, we will make every effort to inform

you of individual cases where we may wish to use it.

Microsoft and its affiliates would like the opportunity to participate in

certain PR activities with you in order to describe your use of Microsoft

technologies. The purpose of this Case Study & PR Release is to

describe the activities in which you agree to participate and the use

rights of the parties with regard to any documentation resulting from

these activities. Unless otherwise agreed to in writing by the parties,

this release will apply to all occurrences of the activities you select from

the list below. The parties agree as follows:

1. You agree to participate in the activities that are marked

with an ‘X’ below:

Written Case Study—a document/story describing your

experience with use of Microsoft technologies

Video Case Study—a video version of the case study describing

your experience with use of Microsoft technologies

Press Release—issued to press and media in order to make a

newsworthy announcement relating to your experience with use

of Microsoft technologies

Testimonial Advertisement—an advertisement describing your

experience with use of Microsoft technologies

Reference Customer—speak at Microsoft events and/or with

new potential Microsoft customers about your experience with

use of Microsoft technologies

Reference Site—allow your site to be a reference site for

potential Microsoft customers interested in seeing Microsoft

technology in practice

Your agreement to participate in these activities does not obligate

Microsoft to create any of them or to offer the opportunity to you.

2. The following terms apply to all documentation created under this

release, including any case studies, testimonial advertisements, or

press releases.

a. Microsoft may interview, tape, videotape, and record your

employees and/or contractors to gather information for creating

the documentation. You agree to obtain sufficient permissions from

any of your employees and/or contractors whose quotes, names, or

pictures appear in the documentation, in order to grant the rights

described in this release.

b. Microsoft may display your name, trademarks, service marks,

logos, and other identifying information in the documentation, as

approved by you during review of the documentation.

c. Prior to the first public release of any form of documentation,

Microsoft will obtain your approval of the final content. You agree

to review the final content for factual accuracy and to prevent the

inadvertent release of any of your confidential information.

You agree to provide Microsoft with your approval or comments

in writing.

d. Except for any of your trademarks, service marks, logos, and other

identifying information contained in the documentation, Microsoft

will own the documentation, and grants you a license to use

and distribute the documentation for your own advertising and

marketing efforts.

3. Both parties will have the right to publish, use, reference, and

display the final, approved documentation, in whole or through

unedited excerpts, in all forms of media now or hereafter known,

and to sublicense the foregoing rights to third parties. Both parties

agree that the content of the documentation will not be altered

without prior written consent from the other party. Both parties also

agree to stop distributing, publicly referencing, and displaying the

documentation at any time upon written request from the

other party.

4. Each party agrees to release the other party and its contractors,

agents, and employees, from any claims relating to use of the

material that the releasing party provides and which is included in

the documentation, so long as such use is in accordance with the

rights granted under this release.

COMPANY:

Signature:

Printed Name:

Title:

Date:

MICROSOFT*

Signature:

Printed Name:

Title:

Date:

*Insert full legal name of Microsoft entity

Please fax back to your local Customer Reference contacts on +49 89 3176 2780

Case Study & PR Release

For more information on the Customer Reference Program,please contact the EMEA Customer Reference Team: ref-emea@microsoft.com

View existing case studies at:www.microsoft.com/casestudies

© 2006, Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

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