Should you be a reference account? Vendors and service providers use reference accounts as part of their marketing basket. The idea is that individuals from firms who have used their products and/or services agree to talk to potential customers. The idea is that satisfied customers will vouch for the product/service they received and answer questions from potential customers. Serving as a reference account has pros and cons, of course.
On the plus side, reference accounts typically can expect special deals, preferential treatment, and advance copies of the latest software. These can be appealing carrots.
So what's not to like? Well, it takes time to talk to potential customers. You might also worry about the liabilities associated with making candid comments. The vendor might impose certain restrictions on you. You might want to make restrictions, too, that you'll only talk to people in your industry, or at your decision-making level. Perhaps you don't want to have to talk about how much the services cost – or what you're getting in return.
Is it worth it? Could it be so appealing that you should actually suggest it yourself?
I'm curious about your experiences serving either as a reference account or as someone who's used one and hope you'll post your comments here. If you're interested in the topic, the January 2006 issue of Redmond Magazine (an independent monthly that covers Microsoft, http://www.redmondmag.com) promises to have an article on the topic. I, for one, am looking forward to reading it.
