MUNICH, Germany, November 6 /PRNewswire/ --
- To Address the Unique Needs of Midsize Businesses, Microsoft Delivers New Solutions, Tools and Services for Its Customers and Partners Worldwide
At Convergence 2006 EMEA, the first Convergence event in EMEA, MicrosoftCorp today announced an offering of new tools, services and role-basedsolutions to help simplify the deployment, management and support of ITinfrastructure for midsize businesses.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO )
Midsize businesses -- of which there are 1.4 million worldwide and384,000 in Europe(i) -- face the same challenges as enterprises, such as thebusiness demands of globalisation and increasingly complex regulations. Butthey must manage with considerably restricted resources.
In an effort to better understand how midsize businesses should thinkstrategically about their IT investments, Microsoft commissioned professorMichaela Draganska of Stanford University's Graduate School of Business tostudy the effects of IT investment on business performance. In her study,"Strategic IT Investment in Midsize Firms," Draganska identifies theimportance of core IT investment to overall business performance andproductivity, and shows that IT is not a commodity, because companies thatview IT as a strategic asset to drive value and growth for the business seehigher gains from IT investment.
"Midsize business customers have enterprise-like needs but are challengedwith unique resource constraints that could be better addressed by the ITindustry. In the past year Microsoft has made great strides by focusing ourinvestments on removing complexity via role-based solutions," said DavideVigano, general manager of worldwide midmarket marketing and acting worldwidemidmarket lead of the Small and Midmarket Solutions and Partners Group atMicrosoft. "Today is a milestone in the journey to realising our midmarketvision of merging the two worlds of people and processes to drive businesssuccess and delivering the right tools to our partners to better servemidsize businesses."
Resources and Tools to Facilitate Acquisition and Deployment
For its customers and partners to adapt to the world's fast-paced andever-changing environment, Microsoft is announcing a series of resources andtools that are designed to contribute directly to the growth andprofitability of midsize businesses.
The availability of the Windows Vista(TM) operating system is animportant leap forward for the long-term success of midsize businessesworldwide. The Windows Vista Readiness Assessment tool is designed to helpmidmarket customers and partners determine the readiness of existing PCs torun Windows Vista and provides guidance on assets and the capabilities ofsystems suitable for running Windows Vista. With this Microsoft(R) tool,partners will be able to quickly evaluate the entire client environmentwithout having to install software on any desktops.
Delivered to 40,000 Microsoft partners worldwide, the DemonstrationShowcase for the People Ready Business Version 2 will show how Microsoftsoftware can deliver real solutions using a roles-based framework withcustomised demonstrations to fit the business needs and business role of thecustomer. New demonstrations include Windows Vista Enterprise, MicrosoftOffice Professional Plus 2007, Office SharePoint(R) Server 2007, OfficeSharePoint Server for Search 2007, Microsoft Office Exchange 2007, WindowsMobile(R) 5.0 and Microsoft Dynamics(TM) AX 4.0. Available solutions withinthe Demonstration Showcase are Microsoft software solutions designed toreduce IT complexity and uniquely amplify the efforts of every individual,team and manager in an organisation, helping them make the greatest possiblecontribution to business success.
Also, HP and Microsoft's network of frontline partners is expanding to 13countries throughout Europe, Asia and North America, providing services frommore than 10,000 partners worldwide. Through their joint strategic initiativeaimed at small and midmarket businesses, Microsoft and HP, with their trustedfrontline partners, enable midsize businesses to have ready access toreliable, proven and integrated technology. The frontline partner programmeprovides technical resources and marketing support for joint channel partnersto design and deploy integrated solutions for customers. Solutions are builton solid and security-enhanced IT infrastructures that help reduce complexitywhile enabling better productivity and profitability of midsize businesses.Customer deployment, installation and support are provided through trustedlocal advisors to help businesses deliver more affordable and optimisedsolutions that are ready to be implemented.
Furthermore, Microsoft continues to invest in a deep connection with itscustomers by expanding the Midsize Business Center, a one-stop onlinedestination that provides tools and resources with which customers canprofile their business, assess their technology and licensing needs, connectwith other customers and partners by solution area, and plan future ITimplementations. The Midsize Business Center will be available in 30countries in Europe, Asia and North America, with the goal of reaching 80 percent of the world's midsize businesses.
Available on the Midsize Business Center and other Microsoft web sites,the Solution Finder web service connects customers to partners as they lookto resolve a business need. In just a few clicks, customers can compareofferings, identify a solution and contact a partner that fits their businessneed. It's an easy and powerful way for partners to increase the visibilityof their solutions to customers and other Microsoft partners. As of today,Solution Finder draws on an inventory of more than 9,700 partner solutions.
Finally, Microsoft is addressing affordability issues and helping toreduce pricing pressure for midsize businesses by expanding MicrosoftFinancing (available in 12 countries) in the UK and Germany through itspartner alliance with CIT Group Inc (NYSE: CIT), a leading global provider ofcommercial and consumer finance solutions. Leveraging the deep experience andadvanced online capabilities of this alliance, Microsoft Financing delivers astreamlined, fully integrated offering and dedicated sales forces to offercustomers flexibility and choice as they acquire software, hardware andservices.
More information on Microsoft's offerings for midsize businesses can befound at http://www.microsoft.com/midsizebusiness/default.mspx . More detailson midmarket products and news announced at Convergence 2006 EMEA can befound athttp://www.microsoft.com/emea/presscentre/emeaconvergence/default.mspx .
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) is the worldwide leader insoftware, services and solutions that help people and businesses realisetheir full potential.
About Microsoft EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa)
Microsoft has operated in EMEA since 1982. In the region Microsoftemploys more than 12,000 people in over 55 subsidiaries, delivering productsand services in more than 139 countries and territories.
(i) Source: AMI Partners, 2006
This material is for informational purposes only. Microsoft Corpdisclaims all warranties and conditions with regard to use of the materialfor other purposes. Microsoft Corp shall not, at any time, be liable for anyspecial, direct, indirect or consequential damages, whether in an action ofcontract, negligence or other action arising out of or in connection with theuse or performance of the material. Nothing herein should be construed asconstituting any kind of warranty.
NOTE: Microsoft, Windows Vista, SharePoint, Windows Mobile and MicrosoftDynamics are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp inthe US and/or other countries.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be thetrademarks of their respective owners.
Web site: http://www.microsoft.com
Microsoft Corp.
Minu Seshasayee of Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, +1-503-443-7000, or minus@waggeneredstrom.com, or Rapid Response Team of Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, +1-503-443-7070, or rrt@waggeneredstrom.com, or Microsoft EMEA Response Centre, +44-870-243-0515, or emearesponse@waggeneredstrom.com, all for Microsoft /Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO /AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org /PRN Photo Desk photodesk@prnewswire.com /NOTE TO EDITORS: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft in EMEA, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/emea or the EMEA Press Centre at http://www.microsoft.com/emea/presscentre . Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at the time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact the Microsoft EMEA Press Office at +44-870-243-0515 or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/emea/contactus . If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft Corp, please visit the Microsoft web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass on Microsoft's corporate information pages.
