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Microsoft Resellers See Better Times Ahead

Time: 05:13 EST/10:13 GMT | News Source: TechWeb | Posted By: Alex Harris

A research firm said Tuesday that its survey of more than 1,000 Microsoft Certified Business Partners showed an overwhelming number anticipate revenue growth over the next 12 months" another sign that IT confidence is climbing. The report, commissioned by Microsoft and conducted by startup SoftwareMinds, found that Microsoft's partners expect to see more improvement on their balance sheets. The vote of confidence was almost unanimous: In all, 95% of those polled said they expect revenue growth over the next 12 months.

"This is great news for Microsoft," said Kirsten Chapman, marketing vice president at SoftwareMinds. "Microsoft relies more on its business partners than most other top-tier vendors; unlike some competitors, they don't really sell direct. The partners are Microsoft's sales channel." The optimism among its partners means good news for Microsoft--and good news for the IT industry as a whole, she said.