1. Customer Support and Knowledge Management at Microsoft Case Study 2

2. 1. Explain why the best customer support is none at all. If product meets consumer standards and issues are a minimal, its is not cost effective for the program provider to maintain a large consumer support program.

3. 2. List the benefits and costs to Microsoft of support news groups. Since they are user driven, user groups are very cost effective Make it easy to solve common minor problems To set up, maintain and police the various forums that the newsgroups uses BenefitsCosts

4. 3. Why do users bother to answer other users’ questions? What’s in it for them? Suppose you manage a group of technical personnel. How much time do you want them to spend each day solving other people’s problems? How can you control such activities? Personal experience Assisting others with a common interest makes other people feel good about their abilities Class Discussion

5. 4. What are the dangers to Microsoft in supporting a newsgroup? How can a newsgroup backfire on Microsoft? Do you think Microsoft edits or censors the newsgroup postings? Should it be able to do so? Some dangers of newsgroup support include: false information an incorrect procedures that further damage the situation Censoring newsgroup postings is essential in order to protect user base from those with malicious intent. Microsoft should be able to censor and edit all postings in it’s use groups because Microsoft owns and maintains the servers in which the newsgroups are maintained.

6. 5. List the benefits and costs to Microsoft supporting user groups. Consider both customer support and marketing benefits. Benefits Costs Since employees attend user groups, they can learn of new practices and uses of various Microsoft software Can learn first hand of issues that can appear in new software Travel expenses for participating employees Lack of guarantee on experience ( will meeting benefit Microsoft or their agenda)

7. 6. What are the dangers to Microsoft in supporting a user group? How can a user group backfire on Microsoft? What control can Microsoft exert over these groups? Some dangers include having participating employees not gain from the experiences and the time lost as a result. A possible measure of control would be to ensure that groups meet the Microsoft agenda and add incentives that would encourage them to become more invested in Microsoft by purchasing more product or creating valuable user groups.

8. 7. How does an individual benefit from joining a user group? Members can see how other people solve problems within the program Members also have the opportunity to use some of the programs in order to solve problems with different software.

9. Benefits Costs Microsoft having MVPs adds the extra benefit of having IT specialists in the field without keeping them on the payroll Poviding services and training to MVPs Inability to police MVPs 8. List the benefits and cost to Microsoft in supporting the MVP program. Consider both support and marketing benefits.

10. 9. Why, besides the chance to meet Bill Gates, would someone want to become an MVP? What benefits accrue with that status? Status Ability to help peers Posiblilty of Microsoft providing perks or various services specific to MVPs

11. 10. Summarize the information systems that Microsoft uses to support these programs. Information Systems Forums Database- ex. MVP stats, where they’re located, level of expertise, what they have been trained in Class Discussion