We are providing the tools to train partners to deliver the people-ready message and supporting them with compelling evidence about why customers who invest in this outperform customers who don't. We want them to know how to live and breathe this message and successfully sell their offerings to customers.

We're saying if you want to get people-ready, get it from our partners, here are our partners. So far, we've had over 12,000 searches in our beta-testing of the tool over the past two weeks.

This research is industry-changing [in terms of] partner profitability. It's grounded in real key performance indicators that allow us to show what profitable partners look like in each business segment, and to show what we invested in those areas.

The training component will support partners by helping them clearly tell the story of people-ready.

Only companies that have demonstrated high levels of customer service, proved their experience and attained advanced certification receive the designation of Microsoft Certified Partner.

We started the push by presenting to partners the importance of people being at the center of how Microsoft delivers value in research and development and for customers.

The people-ready vision is not only for Microsoft to create opportunity, but it's also about creating opportunity for our partners.