On the road with Microsoft Tablet PC warriors

Increasing product knowledge to improve sales.

"It is an end of an era. The future has become the past. It is the survival of the fittest. It is the time of the Tablet!" That's the warlike opening sequence in the new Tablet PC product knowledge training course that Microsoft decided to develop for their resellers.

The Tablet PC has been heralded as the corporate weapon of the future - wielded by a new breed of corporate users made powerful by the Tablet's flexibility. But unless the Tablet PC resellers know which features and functionality will appeal to which type of user, it can be a difficult product to sell.

So Microsoft teamed up with Brightwave to deliver a fun and engaging product knowledge course aimed at increasing knowledge of the Microsoft Tablet PC and its features among its value-added resellers.

Learning challenges

E-learning was identified as the best training vehicle - the majority of resellers are on the road a lot and need to be able to access the training from anywhere.

Designing the course was not easy. A high amount of detailed content had to be delivered while keeping attention levels high and sustaining the user's motivation to learn throughout the programme.

Another learning challenge was to create an interactive experience that was to be delivered on the topic of the training: the Tablet PC itself. This meant that learners would get the opportunity to get hands-on use of the technology as part of the learning experience.

Engaging style

With a young, mainly male, fast-paced target audience, Microsoft decided to take a cartoon style approach with a 'road warrior' theme. The learner discovers the power of the Tablet - its versatility, its relevance, and its reputation - through the experiences of four super users, sharing in their experiences as each is challenged to a task that can only be accomplished with the aid of the Tablet!

The course is highly engaging and has already received some excellent feedback from users.

"Our resellers have said that greater familiarity with the Tablet PC, particularly its distinctive pen and ink capabilities - which allow for new and exciting ways to use a Windows XP laptop - has helped to better position the product in the market," said Chris Gage, Tablet PC Marketing at Microsoft UK.

"We chose to work with Brightwave because of their fresh, creative approach to e-learning."

By increasing product knowledge among its resellers, Microsoft aims not only to increase its bottom line sales, but also to improve the general awareness of the Tablet PC's unique features.

Case studies quick links.

Screenshot from Microsoft Tablet PC course

Introduction

Follow a warrior