Carroll County Times Articles
The Microsoft Truck Delivers
by Jeannine Morber– August 26 2007
In 2004, Microsoft announced an innovative program to introduce its new products to small and midsized businesses across the country; Microsoft Across America. The program features a fleet of seven 42-foot trucks outfitted with computer stations equipped with new hardware and software from Microsoft and partnering companies like Cisco, Hewlett Packard and Intel. The goal of the tour is to provide hands-on demonstrations and in-person instruction to assist businesses with implementing new products designed to streamline business, save time and save money.
Three years later, the program is still going strong. On any given day, the seven trucks, each of which are assigned to a specific geographic area of the country, are parked in a campus or business parking lot and are open to area residents, business owners and IT professionals. Each truck, in addition to being assigned to a specific area of the country, has been named after a renowned innovator/inventor. Franklin covers the North Central region, Wright covers South Central, Bell in the Midwest, Hopper in the Northeast, Carver covers the Southeast, Morse in the Southwest, and Edison in the Northwest.
Each truck can accommodate about eight people at a time in addition to the Microsoft demonstrators, and it takes about twenty minutes to tour the entire truck. At each location, local experts are also usually on hand to assist attendees who have questions about local resources and product availability.
In addition to assisting local businesses with their technology needs, the truck events also assist the business community by providing an opportunity for professionals to network, share ideas and meet others with similar interests. Not to mention that events such as this create opportunities to generate more business and meet many new potential customers.
On Friday September 21st, one of the Microsoft trucks is coming to Carroll Community College from 9:00 AM until 1 PM. The truck, most likely 'Hopper,' will feature Windows Vista, Office 2007, and Microsoft Exchange Server. The event will include give-a-ways, drawings, exhibits, and interactive experiences. There will also be free seminars on Microsoft's latest operating system, Vista and on OneNote 2007 productivity software. Also scheduled are Word & Excel Efficiency Training and seminars for small business development. Space is limited on the truck so if you plan to attend and board the truck, please register here.
About the Author
Jeannine Morber is the Director of the Carroll Technology Council. Questions are welcome and may be addressed in future articles. Email mail@carrolltechcouncil.org or go to www.carrolltechcouncil.org to learn more.
