ASK PROBING QUESTIONS TO UNDERSTAND CUSTOMER PRIORITIES
Cost / Productivity / Manage & Secure / Compatibility· Is the initial cost of acquiring devices driving your school’s technology purchasing decisions?
· Have you considered the total cost of ownership for your school’s technology platform, including network infrastructure, management and support? / · What student levels are you serving? Does your staff need to find more ways to collaborate and communicate?
· Do you use specialized apps in the classroom?
· Do you have specialized curriculum in your schools? (STEM, Common Core, accessible classrooms) / · Is a highly-secure operating system a top priority for your school (e.g. device encryption, anti-theft, anti-phishing, and malware protection)?
· Is it important for your school(s) to centralize IT management and deployment to reduce cost? / · Will your school(s) use existing applications, such as Microsoft Office, Adobe products, etc. if new devices are purchased?
· What kind of technology infrastructure do you currently have (e.g. printers, scanners, projectors, displays, etc…) in your classrooms?
TOP OPENING QUESTIONS
Topic / Opening Question / Support for WindowsDid you know Windows has the widest range of device choices at every price point? / Examples [modify for your market]
• Acer Aspire One Cloudbook ($169) – Speedy, power-efficient, and lightweight
• HP Stream x360 ($269) – budget-friendly slim laptop with style, utility, and connection
• Asus Transformer T100 ($449) – laptop/tablet convertible with full classroom capabilities
• Dell XPS 13 ($809) – Lightweight, super-fast, long-lived and touch enabled
• Surface Pro 4 ($899) – lightweight versatile form with pen, gesture, touch, mouse and keyboard capability
Check https://microsoft.com/devices for more options
What are you looking to spend? / Affordable and easy
• Acer Aspire One Cloudbook ($169)
• Free Office 365 Education / Affordable with management
• Asus Transformer T100 ($449)
• Free Office 365 Education
• Professional Development
• Microsoft Intune / Best-in-class solutions
• Surface Pro 4 ($899)
• Free Office 365 Education
• Professional Development
• Microsoft Intune & SCCM
• Accessories
• Would you like to have a platform that supports learning at all levels? / • Windows takes you from your ABCs to your dissertation
• Run apps from basic reading to dynamic math, science, & art
• Chromebook primarily uses web-based apps
Are you looking for a way to scale productivity at a lower cost than ever before? / • Microsoft offers schools and students affordable, advanced technology
• With Microsoft student use benefits, students can receive Office 365 ProPlus, Windows 10 Education, or Microsoft Intune at no additional cost when all faculty and staff are licensed for the corresponding product
• Free 21st century learning tools include OneNote, OneDrive for Business, Office 365 Education*, Skype, Bing in the Classroom, Office Mix, & Sway
Did you know Windows inking can engage students and enhance their learning? / • Studies indicate that diagramming before solving a science problem can improve scores by 25-36%
• Microsoft Edge enables webpage markups** for easier note taking and collaboration
• Chromebook does not have inking capability and the Surface Pro 4 cost is significantly lower than the Apple iPad Pro and Pencil
Is providing a collaborative learning environment important to you? / • Windows runs on the largest range of devices
• Apps promote 21st Century Skills like creativity, collaboration, communication and critical thinking
• Students can work on a document at the same time from anywhere in the world
Did you know Windows is designed for all learning styles and is best-in-class for accessibility/assistive learning? / • Windows provides the right device for the right need
• Teachers can create inclusive classrooms with Windows assistive technology–widest range available
• Windows offers magnifiers, high contrast views, narrator, speech-to-text and other options
• Windows is the only platform that offers: touch, type, pen, talk and gesture
Is creating life-long learners a priority goal? / • Windows 10 promotes instant expertise with intuitive interfaces across all devices
• Multi-doing abilities like Snap Assist, virtual desktops, & Task View help save time. Split screen + OneNote allows for very efficient note taking coupled with eTextbooks, web research, etc.
• Microsoft Office is the #3 skill required for high growth, high salary career paths (IDC Study)
Does your school prioritize ease of management and student data security? / • New tools help lower cost, save time & simplify management
• Simpler and more efficient deployment and management for 1 or 1000 classrooms
• Windows 10 is the safest Windows ever with improved Identity management, malware protection, & data security
• Using Azure Active Directory, Windows 10 makes things simpler and safer with 1 organizationally owned and manageable identity for Office 365, device log-in, and access to the Windows Store
Is device compatibility with existing classroom peripherals important to you? / • Windows offers the widest range of connected devices
• Fully supports Flash and interactive digital textbooks
• Keep you printers, displays, microscopes, and other peripherals (USB, SD cards, etc.)
OBJECTION HANDLING
Topic / Objection / ResponseWe don’t have the budget… / • Windows offers devices at the widest range of price points, with the widest range of features suitable for pre-K to dissertation. Prices range from $150USD and up [modify for market]
• Windows is the king of compatibility. You can keep your current devices and peripherals
• Our new deployment and management processes are more cost efficient and effective than ever before
I’ve heard Chromebook is the cheapest option…
“It seems the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is lower with a Chromebook” / • Due to Chromebook’s web-app and browser OS model, additional investments will likely be required to improve and manage schools’ broadband infrastructure. These investments make Chromebooks’ TCO significantly higher
• There is little to no cost advantage to Chromebooks vs. comparable modern Windows PCs such as the HP Stream 11 at less than $200 [modify for your market]
• Chromebooks can increase network traffic by up to 692x more than Windows, which may result in higher expenses for schools
• Chromebook warranties can cost 30-80% of the purchase price, increasing the maintenance and overall cost of the devices
• Chromebooks (and Android devices) have limited compatibility with devices and peripherals. Most schools must invest in new infrastructure in order to use Chromebooks
For the same price, I’ve heard I can get Android tablets with built in manageability… / • The initial purchase cost of Android does not take into consideration additional investments likely required to manage, train, deploy, support and secure the technology
What makes Windows better than [competitors] for classroom productivity? / • Widest range of apps and programs for different grades and learning needs; basic reading to dynamic math, science and art
• Only platform that offers touch, type, mouse, pen, talk and gesture
• Windows is designed for all learning styles and has the widest range of assistive technology (includes features such as magnifier, narrator, high-color contrast and more)
• Ensure your students are college- and career-ready, Windows and Office are the world’s most widely used operating system and most popular productivity suite. In fact, a 2013 IDC study shows Office is the #3 skill for high-growth career paths
• Students and teachers can work online & offline w/o losing work or access to materials
• High network efficiency allows for classes to run smoothly without interruption
• Windows leads the way in inking, which improves comprehension of words/concepts; studies indicate diagraming before solving a science problem improves scores by 25-36%
• OneNote is the single most impactful app for education. Students can keep notes organized, collaborate with other students on group projects, record audio and video, and receive real time feedback from teachers. Teachers and staff can manage collaboration, planning, policy and communication tasks with ease
• Windows 10 is for doing. Snap-Assist, Task View, and virtual desktops enable greater efficiency than ever before
I’ve heard students can do a lot more with Chromebooks than with Windows devices / • Windows devices have excellent broadband efficiency with more robust online and offline capabilities than Chromebooks (and Android devices)
• Chromebooks restrict how students can interact with devices
• Chromebooks do not offer precise inking
• Chromebooks create up to 692x more network traffic than Windows, resulting in a loss of efficiency and learning time
Isn’t Android able to do more than Windows? / • Android input options are fairly limited. Unlike Windows devices, they do not offer the full range of touch, type, gesture, voice, and pen inputs
• Android users must navigate a maze of apps resulting in added complexity for resource-constrained educators who would rather spend time teaching students than learning fragmented technology.
• The openness of the Android OS to developers results in an environment more prone to viruses and hackers, conditions that potentially disrupt classroom learning
Aren’t iPads able to do more than Windows devices? / • iPads limit the ways students can interact with devices and have limited cross-platform cohesion.
• Interactive implements such as keyboards and pens must be purchased separately
Aren’t Windows devices hard to manage?
How are Windows devices more secure than [competitor devices]? / • Windows has built-in family safety controls to allow parents, teachers and IT to set individual restrictions and time limits for any browser
• Partners such as Lightspeed Systems also offer simple and affordable cloud-based management.
• Microsoft Edge offers best-in-class protection against socially engineered malware
• Windows devices offer a seamless and centralized IT admin console for easy deployment, management and security of all devices
• Direct Access allows IT to easily monitor and update devices via the same secured connection
• Windows 10 offers remote support, so teachers can stay in the classroom to troubleshoot and resolve IT issues quickly and effectively
• Windows 10 offers full multi-user capabilities, keeping data and settings separate from student or teacher accounts to allow for true device sharing
Isn’t Chromebook security just as good as Windows? / • Google has been known to use student data for advertising and share user information with app makers, which could compromise the safety and security of student and teacher information
• Windows, on the other hand, offers BitLocker and Enterprise Data Protection, which help protect against hackers and accidental loss.
Aren’t Android devices more secure than Windows devices? / • Android devices pose significant security challenges for schools due to fragmented management, deployment and ongoing security update limitations within the Android ecosystem. This makes it difficult to deal with identified security threats quickly and efficiently
• Unlike Windows, Android offers no control over what apps are downloaded and run on each device, increasing the exposure to malware, and security/safety risks to teachers, students and staff. A shocking 17% of Android apps, nearly 1 million, are actually malware
• Even more shocking: A Cambridge study found that 87% of Android devices are exposed to critical vulnerabilities.
I heard iPads are easier to manage than Windows devices.
Aren’t iPads more secure than Windows devices? / • Unlike Windows, iPads do not work with shared-device platforms; iPads are limited to one Apple ID associated to one device at one time. This can lead to sharing passwords and other security concerns.
• With iPads, teachers do not have as many tools to monitor students’ work or project students’ screens easily in the classroom
• Legacy support is limited on Apple devices and can require additional funding to stay up-to-date.
What can you tell me about Windows devices classroom compatibility compared with competitors? / • Windows Compatibility is king. Windows devices are compatible with your existing investments and infrastructure, including projectors, displays, and other hardware via USB, VGA, and HDMI
• Unlike Chromebook and Android, Windows devices are compatible with most desktop applications and software, allowing schools to leverage existing investments
• Unlike [competitor], Windows is compatible with millions of apps—both online and offline, web-based and desktop-based
• Students and teachers can remain productive all the time and do not have to rely on network connectivity
Isn’t Chromebook’s classroom compatibility the same as Windows? / • Unlike Windows, Chromebooks have limited compatibility with devices and peripherals because drivers for devices often do not exist. In many cases, schools must invest in new infrastructure rather than using existing resources
• Similarly, because Chromebooks are designed as cloud-centric devices, there is limited utility for students who will not be online 100% of the time.
How are Windows devices more compatible with classrooms than Android devices? / • Unlike Windows, Android devices do not support a breadth of USB and wireless peripherals. Consequently, many schools must make additional investments to connect or replace displays, scanners, printers, cameras, etc.
I heard iPads are more compatible with a classroom environment than Windows devices are. / • Windows has a very large library of educational apps. The majority of educational content available is not optimized for iPad or cannot be maximized on the iPad.
• Unlike Windows, iPad apps are a locked and closed platform undermining the openness and platform flexibility schools strive for
• iPad lacks USB and wireless peripherals, so it requires an additional investment to connect or replace displays, projectors, scanners, printers, cameras, etc.
For more information, partners can visit: https://mepn.com/
Customers can visit: www.microsoft.com/education
Note: Microsoft claims may not be changed. Microsoft trademark guidelines must be followed (please see http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/legal/IntellectualProperty/Trademarks/Usage/Default.aspx for guidelines).
Microsoft provides these materials for partners’ convenience and informational purposes only. Consult with your own attorney to ensure you follow all applicable laws, including any anti-spam laws.
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**Desktop only.