Incompetence at Microsoft : Microsoft will not be participating as exhibitor in CeBIT 2005
October 09, 2004 [General] | By Edward J. R.
Microsoft is a big corporation that employs many competent and dedicated people like Neil Enns, Ed Suwanjindar or Annemarie Duffy.
However sometimes Microsoft as a whole lacks proper overview and proper understanding of the whole situation in given markets and then incompetence comes into play. CeBIT trade show is the biggest Information Technology and Communications trade show in the world and the fact that it is located in Germany, EU, is just a coinicidence - it is a global, international trade show (from Taiwan alone more than 1000 exhibitors usually participate)! However it looks like Microsoft USA doesn't understand, why it should participate in this trade show and it leaves decision about participation in it to Microsoft Germany and unfortunately the boss of Microsoft Germany - Jürgen Gallmann - just has decided that Microsoft will not participate in CeBIT 2005 at all !
Why not? Because apparently Microsoft thinks that it is better to participate in dedicated, more specialized, and smaller trade shows and conferences, where Microsoft could better connect with its customers. As a sign of this trend Microsoft's presence in Systems 2004 trade show in Munich, Germany, EU (18-22 October 2004) is already reduced: it is just 60 square meters compared to 1200 square meters year ago! To leave decision about participation in CeBIT to some provincial Microsoft manager, like Jürgen Gallmann is a huge mistake! Why? Here we are giving some reasons why:
- CeBIT is a global, international trade show where plenty of people from whole Europe and Asia are coming to CeBIT - both as visitors and as exhibotors (who are also socializing and building business contacts with other exhibitors and with visitors). Microsoft's mistake: Microsoft thinks that it is just a local German trade show.
- Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Motorola and other cell phone vendors are presenting big stands with a lot of information about upcoming cell phones. CeBIT is an important trade show as far as cell phone industry is concerned. Microsoft's mistake: in opinion of Microsoft only 3GSM Congress is an important cell phone industry trade show and Microsoft doesn't think of CeBIT as important trade show in this regard.
- People from Symbian are usually present at CeBIT and are offering booklets, presentations and information related to licensing of this operating system to cell phone vendors. Since many thousands (!) of exhibitors and people from Taiwan, China and other Asian countries are coming, this is very important in popularization of operating systems not only among end customers but also among hardware vendors! Microsoft's mistake: Microsoft thinks that it doesn't have to advertise Windows Mobile as operating system for cell phones - Microsoft doesn't understand that such direct presentation of Windows Mobile would be crucial to find new license takers, who could produce then cell phones based on this operating system!
- while it is true, that Microsoft prefers to leave marketing of Windows Mobile devices to hardware manufacturers themselves, in reality Microsoft fails to understand need to popularize Microsoft brand in cell phone industry! Microsoft's mistake: Microsoft fails to understand that CeBIT would be great opportunity to introduce Windows Mobile as a perfect platform for cell phones, not just to hardware vendors, but also to end users!
Conclusion: Microsoft again is about to make big mistake and give up participation in the biggest IT trade show in the world. Symbian and Nokia are so strong not because of the fact, that they are so good, but because their competition - Microsoft - is so weak! In previous news stories about CeBIT we were always complaining that participation of Windows Mobile in CeBIT is much too small, but now it looks like not just Windows Mobile, but whole Microsoft will not be present there. 2 years after Microsoft's entry into cell phone industry, still understanding of this industry is minimal in Microsoft. Incompetence at Microsoft!
(on picture above: 2 tables devoted to Windows Mobile - that by now were a part of Microsoft stand at CeBIT trade shows each year)
 Post your comment (free registration is required to post, but if you register you can edit your posts later) [ 2 Comments ]
 
|
|
Mobile Windows News | 
Podcasts | 
Videos | Search | Forums | Site News
