How Microsoft System Builders Can Add Office 2010 (Video Review)
Here's a quick way to make more money with happier customers if you're one of the many Microsoft system builders out there.
Microsoft has streamlined the SKUs (stock-keeping units) and simplified the process of installing Office 2010 for Microsoft system builders.
To get the details, watch the embedded Microsoft: OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) Systems Builder Video (“Complexity Made Simple, Increased Revenue Made Possible”).
A quick synopsis and analysis follows bellow.
There are now three clearly named suites:
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Microsoft Office Home and Student 2010
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Microsoft Office Home and Business 2010
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Microsoft Office Professional 2010
To install, use one single image on the PC you're building.
That's one image, three Office 2010 suites, on as many PCs as you want.
Activation occurs when customers buy a product key card or a traditional disk with a 25 character product key.
This means you can now up sell with the streamlined lineup, which is easy to understand and simple to deliver to the customer with no inventory hassles.
System Builders Can Even Help Those Who Don’t Want to Buy Office 2010
And there's more; Introducing Microsoft Office Starter 2010, a new advertising supported and reduced functionality Word and Excel suite, also included in the same single image, for customers who aren't yet committed to purchasing Office 2010 full suites.
Two options exist for Microsoft system builders whose customers don’t want to buy Office 2010:
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You may purchase standalone licenses at $5 each
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Install Windows Live Essentials, Bing and MSN on new systems using discounted Office Starter suites as part of PC Essentials for system builders at $2 per license.
This allows you to introduce your customers to Microsoft Office 2010 and drive demand. Once ready, customers can upgrade at will by activation to full suites through the purchase of a product key card, or a traditional disk with 25 character product key.
This means more revenue generation opportunities for you, whether through the full suites or the Office Starter options.
Updated June 26, 2012: Microsoft has just announced plans to discontinue Microsoft Office Starter 2010.
Microsoft System Builders Can Use OPK to Stop Leaving Easy Incremental Revenue on the Table
To start pre-loading Office 2010 to new PCs:
If you’re not currently including Office 2010 as part of your system building business, be sure to check out this revenue generating opportunity for Microsoft system builders today. Stop leaving easy incremental revenue on the table.
Do you own or manage a Microsoft system builder? If so, what do you think of the Office 2010 OEM Preinstallation Kit (OPK)? How does these efforts compare to your experiences with other IT reseller channel programs? Please share your tips, hints, and war stories in the Comments area below.
And to follow-through on the concepts in this article, be sure to download your free quick reference guide to the 13 IT Channel Partner Programs for Growing Small Business Computer Consulting Firms.
