Fergie's Tech Blog

Microsoft's Hard Sell Backfires

A Business 2.0 article by Owen Thomas, via CNN/Money, reports that:

Competitors are used to Microsoft's strong arm tactics, but it turns out that the Windows maker doesn't exactly apply a soft touch to customers, either. At least one Microsoft employee has used a sleazy scare tactic to attempt to get a customer to buy more Microsoft software.

When Auto Warehousing CIO Dale Frantz got an inquiry from Microsoft employee Janet Lawless about the company's software-licensing status, he politely replied that his Microsoft licenses were fine, thanks for asking. He got back a note from Lawless informing him that Auto Warehousing was at "significant risk."

Frantz had to call his lawyer in to get Lawless to back off. Computerworld got wind of the situation and raised a stink, prompting Microsoft PR to claim that Lawless, an "engagement manager," was just helping a customer navigate the supposed complexities of buying software licenses from Microsoft.

If that's what the engagement is like, we'd hate to hear about the marriage.

posted by Fergie @ 5/10/2006 10:06:00 AM