Microsoft Sri Lanka’s ‘GENUINE SOFTWARE INITIATIVE’

Across the globe, Microsoft, along with many other Intellectual Property stakeholders, strives to protect its customers and partners from counterfeit and pirated software. The Organisation for Economic Development based in Paris, France estimates that the value of counterfeit goods and pirated copyrights in world trade grew from US$ 100 billion in 2001 to US$ 250 billion in 2007. As a popular operating system used on computers globally, pirated Microsoft software can be freely bought in many countries.

Microsoft Sri Lanka has launched the Genuine Software Initiative (GSI) to combat software counterfeiting and other forms of software piracy into a single coordinated effort. This initiative protects the decision of genuine resellers and users of Microsoft, many of whom would like to see a validation of their decision through enhanced anti-piracy action. Education, in the form of regular trainings conducted for the Resellers, is a key channel through which Microsoft Sri Lanka is raising awareness among customers and resellers about the risks of counterfeit software.

According to Microsoft, dealers offering computers that contain pirated software are not only putting honest dealers at risk due to the unfair competition it creates; they also put businesses at risk. Poojitha Rajapakse, OEM Director, Microsoft Sri Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, stated, “We know a lot of consumers still think of software counterfeiting as a victimless crime, yet I think we’ve hit a tipping point: further to the various sales and marketing efforts, paired with mystery shopping / market research campaigns and test purchases. The sheer increase in counterfeit software reports and queries from our customers and partners is remarkable. In fact, at least one of the cases announced in the press earlier were the direct result of a consumer report. I think the biggest thing is that Government is giving consumers the opportunity to report it – and when consumers do this, proper investigation and action will be taken.”

He added, “For Microsoft Partners there is a revenue opportunity when selling only genuine software via the accredited Microsoft Distributors (as opposed to engaging in selling pirated, or both genuine and pirated, or grey imports). We have listened to our customers and resellers and have implemented a number of marketing programs during the past few years in the OEM channel such as an OEM Incentive Program, OEM Training Zone and the OEM Sales Academy, supporting resellers and customers.”

The OEM Incentive Program for System Builders is a cash rebate and co-marketing reimbursement program designed to help Microsoft’s OEM partners generate demand for Microsoft products. Partners who meet the eligibility requirements of the Local OEM Incentives Program are invited by their Microsoft account manager to register and access the Channel Incentive Platform (CHIP), an online web portal.

OEM Training Zone is a central destination for product and program training and readiness materials created specifically for Microsoft OEM partners. Microsoft partners may register or sign-in to find training content reflecting the richest product and solution suites for Microsoft Windows 7, Office 2010 and Windows Server 2008 R2 plus recently added content for the Channel Incentives Program (CHIP).

The OEM Sales Academy was program-designed to train and develop OEM sales personnel to enhance their sales and product knowledge while learning to apply that knowledge to real sales scenarios. In addition participants are educated on how to leverage on selling genuine software and enhancing the customer experience vs. non-genuine.

Peter Peiris, Group Manager, Enterprise Solutions at DMS Electronics Ltd, commented: “As this year’s Best Managed Microsoft Partner, we clearly see the value of Microsoft software and how Microsoft impacts the partner network in Sri Lanka as well as the broader technology adoption in our country. Intellectual Property protection is vital for the success of local companies such as ours in Sri Lanka. It is in our (DMS Electronics Ltd, and its sister companies) interest to protect our IP in order to earn revenue to further develop and support our home-grown software. Furthermore, it is high time we, as a nation of entrepreneurs and established companies alike entering a new phase of growth, realize our full potential and at the same time gain respect by keeping at pace with competing nations, by protecting what is rightfully ours, be-it product-inventions, creative inventions, company names or trademarks. Not only do we want to protect our own IPR, we also want to make sure other IP owners’ rights are respected.”

Customers are may inform themselves by visiting the Microsoft website How to Tell at http://www.microsoft.com/resources/howtotell which provide detailed information and examples of counterfeit software and provide guidance on what consumers should watch out for before purchasing software, to ensure they are making informed decisions.

As part of the Genuine Software Initiative, Microsoft is encouraging customers to use the Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) tools and the other information available on http://www.microsoft.com/genuine to help ensure they have genuine software.