Microsoft Encourages Use of Live Search Through Credits

Microsoft is encouraging businesses not to use Google by providing them monetary incentives. Following a disturbing memo from Bill Gates highlighting how the company was losing on Web technology opportunities, Microsoft is pursuing Google users in this way. In particular, Microsoft is trying to capture the market of online search, which Google currently dominates. Daliytech published this on March 19, 2007.

Microsoft has lately undertaken to bolster the use of Windows Live Search engine. Apart from offering incentives, the software company said its "Service Credits for Web Search" program helps the company to get valuable feedback from enterprises on how they use the search. Microsoft is providing a trial program of "Service Credits for Web Search" for a selective number of large enterprises. Cio-today published this on March 19, 2007.

The trial program offers to each enrolled PC, credit between $2 and $10 every year to participate in Microsoft service or training, and an additional $25,000 as "enrollment credit".

An excerpt from a PowerPoint presentation that bit-tech.net posted on its website on March 19, 2007 says, in practice employees everyday use search engines like Google, Yahoo or Microsoft. The number of searches by Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and website users determine the credit these manufacturers already earn. Microsoft has now created opportunities for every other organization to earn credits based on the users of its web searches. The greater the number of searches inside the organization, the greater are credits.

As confirmed by a Microsoft spokesperson, the program is underway. She added that currently the company was running a trial program. Through this Microsoft is offering service or training allowances to a chosen group of enterprise customers on the basis of the number of web searches their employees conduct, using Live Search.

As of Microsoft, it is receiving valuable feedback on the utility of web search in an enterprise ambiance. As the search business leverages to a productive tool and revenue sharing increases within the industry, there is a mutual benefit between Microsoft and enterprises. This benefit also extends with the recent Lenovo deal, all to facilitate customers to use Live Search.

Related article: Microsoft Patches Live OneCare to Tackle Quarantined E-Mails

» SPAMfighter News - 3/28/2007