Back in October of 2008, I put up my, “Parting is such sweet sorrow… Again. (It is time to move on)” post announcing that I was moving on from the Microsoft U.S. Team over the Microsoft Worldwide Team to expand my coverage beyond the U.S. and focus on CPE (Customer and Partner Experience), specifically focused on that of our Partners. Since that time, you may have seen the “CPE” logo and Partner Experience reference on several items I have posted, such as:

• Background on my overview page
• Hints to find me at conferences
• Background on my Twitter page
• The succession of my plates
• My signature tag
• And much more

So what is “CPE,” why should it matter to you, and how can you participate to make your experience with Microsoft even better? Ensuring a high level of satisfaction among our customers and partners is a core component of our business, and something we (and I) believe in very strongly. We refer to our customer and Partner-focus efforts as Customer and Partner Experience (CPE).

If you have not yet visited the Microsoft CPE site, I would highly suggest that you take a few moments and check it out. There are many very good resources there as well as a good collection of information on how you can help drive positive input and feedback on CPE with Microsoft. For instance, there you will find items such as:

• Links directly to Microsoft Global CPE sites for many countries, such as: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Japan, Mexico, Multi Country Americas, & Venezuela.
• A Microsoft “Listen & Respond” guide to find out more about how we use feedback from our global satisfaction survey and other listening systems to improve customer & Partner experiences with our products and services.
• CPE White Papers regarding CPE efforts at Microsoft for customers and Partners in the past and currently.
• Learn about some of the Microsoft listening systems, such as our annual Customer and Partner Satisfaction Survey and the Customer Experience Improvement Program.

We also have many sites available (broader list on the Microsoft CPE site) to share your experiences and connect with Microsoft to find solutions, learn about resources and much more. Here are a few:

• Microsoft Answers - Get answers to Windows questions and share your knowledge.
• Microsoft Connect - Report bugs, get downloads, find solutions, and vote for what's important to you.
• Microsoft Communities - Find online support, tips, discussion, and product expertise.
• Office Online - Tips, Help, and How-to resources for Microsoft Office.
• Microsoft Customer Business Center - Resources for small and medium-sized businesses.

There are also several other items on the Microsoft CPE site for you to utilize, so I would definitely recommend spending a few minutes checking it out and the items included on it.

Thank you and have a wonderful day,

Eric Ligman – Follow me on TWITTER and RSS
Global Partner Experience Lead
Microsoft Worldwide Partner Group
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights