Getting Off The “Get On The Bus” Tour

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For those of you reading our newsletter, following our Twitter feed or blogs, you are aware that I the Springboard Series partnered with Microsoft Learning for the “Get On The Bus Tour” The goal was to bring information on Windows 7, Server 2008 R2, Exchange 2010 and Certification. So, I agreed to spend 5 days working, traveling and even sleeping on a bus.

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I have to first start by stating what an amazing group of people I had the chance to work with. From Ken Rosen, Tjeerd Veninga, Liberty Munson, to Brad McCabe from the MDOP group and Ian Hammeroff from the Exchange team. All true professionals who can speak to attendees from 18 to 80 at any event.

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The bus tour during my week onboard visited Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Munich in Germany, Vienna, Austria, Prague in the Czech Republic and then a final stop in Berlin where I am am now preparing for TechEd.

IMG_2879We spoke to IT pros in Amsterdam, made a visit to the local Dell office and ended the day with a event complete with a red carpet and real “American style” popcorn where WIndows 7 was the main event. We spoke to groups of IT managers in Frankfurt (where I learned knocking on a table at the end is a good thing) and to a high school in Vienna were we spoke to around 100 students about Microsoft, technology and the career paths. It was amazing to see the excitement and enthusiasm around our technology.

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We visited Munich were again much table knocking ensued and then on to Austria where we did sessions for our TDM (Technical Decision Makers) around the cost savings and benefits of the new products.

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Finally, after a long nite and short sleep, we arrived in Prague where we spoke at the new Football (soccer for our US readers) stadium where we got an great behind the scenes tour of the stadium.

Times are tough all around. So bringing this opportunity directly to the people who can best benefit from it was a great experience. The many questions and thanks I received from all
who attended really made the cold, the lack of sleep and the long days well worth the time spent.

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Thank you again for all who attended our events. I have made some great new friends and have learned so much from all of you. I look forward to seeing some of you here in Berlin during my stay.

To see more photos and videos from the tour visit the Bus Tour site here.

Auf Wiedersehen for now.

Stephen

PS-

Also huge thanks to Melissa Bathium our tour coordinator, Bob Simms our contest winner and of course to Celine Allee and Janett Garcia-Riseland for sponsoring this amazing event.