The importance of setting good examples

https://teamsystemrocks.com/blogs/mickey_gousset/archive/2006/01/06/590.aspx

Given that, I shot an email off to Soma expressing my appreciation, but I didn't necessarily expect to hear back right way, if at all.

And now comes the part where I say Microsoft is becoming more open. I received a response back within 5 hours of when I sent it. Now it wasn't a book or anything, but it was a personalized response, and not just a "thanks" with nothing else in the body of the message. He took the time to respond back to someone he didn't even know. I find that very refreshing. And I find it indicative of how Microsoft is striving to become more open and communicative.

There are still a lot of MSFT employees who fear that posting their e-mail address publicly is a dangerous game.  I'd like to thank Soma for setting consistent good examples for employees in his organization.  There are simply no good reasons to not include customers into every part of our product cycles.

Comments

• Anonymous
  January 09, 2006
  Hi Josh, as a developer and MS customer, I agree. But, the other side of the coin is a bit frustrating too - when MS employees publish their e-mail address and/or ask for input/feedback, and never respond or respond very slowly (like a response I got a while back that was to a request I made ~6 months earlier).
  
  I don't think in general my requests were superfluous or asked for sensitive information. I just figure they are sitting somewhere in their e-mail inbox waiting for some attention.
  
  I think that folks have to realize that by stepping into the limelight, they are taking a bit of responsibility for representing MS to its customers. In this case, just as there is potential for good, there is also potential for harm.