March 14, 2006

Best Buy and Microsoft Get Closer + Microsoft Reaches Out MORE to Small Businesses With Financing

Best Buy is becoming THE PLACE for smaller businesses to get help with their technology solutions. Best Buy's ACE is their Geek Squad - Guys and Gals who are available to give personal technology support to small businesses. In addition, Best Buy has an extensive web site, combined with its retail stores.

The (vague) announcement reads that the relationship will help customers quickly and easily find solutions and one-on-one advice about which Microsoft technology is right for their business. I believe this means that Best Buy is training it's staff in Microsoft solutions. When you go into Best Buy to look for a technology solution expect to hear a big push for a Microsoft centered solution.

In addition, Microsoft announced that Best Buy has achieved Microsoft Gold Certified Partner status, making the company the only national retailer to do so.

Best Buy For Business combines bricks-and-mortar Best Buy stores with direct reseller channels to bring great selection and knowledgeable staff to help small-business owners easily incorporate technology into their businesses and their lives.

In a related move, Microsoft also announced today that Microsoft Point of Sale, an application for small retailers, is now available on store shelves at 115 Best Buy For Business outlets nationwide. These stores carry both the standalone software and a Casio touch-optimized hardware package pre-loaded with Microsoft Point of Sale ready for installation. Best Buy is also offering multiple levels of Geek Squad service to support customers during and after installation.

Cnet writes Microsoft announced plans to lower the minimum financing available to small business owners for technology products to $3,000 from $10,000.

Microsoft said Tuesday that it aims to boost annual sales to small businesses by more than 9 percent, outpacing the overall increase in technology spending by companies with fewer than 50 workers.

Speaking on the sidelines of Microsoft's Small Business Summit, the company's new chief operating officer, Kevin Turner, said there are seven million small businesses in the United States and more cropping up in China and India.

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