Support program to help SMBs explore business opportunities

By SearchSMBAsia Editors | Feb 9, 2010

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With the economy showing signs of recovery and a gradual reset of the business environment, Microsoft Hong Kong has launched  the SME “Efficiency Boost” Support Program. In addition to offering 200 free trial SME “Efficiency Boost” action packs to help SMEs further increase productivity and be fully prepared for economic recovery, Microsoft will also offer a series of free Microsoft services to five selected SMEs to help them prepare to capture business opportunities after the economy recovers. 

Microsoft launched the support program to provide the right tools and support to help this important sector of the Hong Kong economy to reduce operational costs, enhance productivity and increase innovation. Specifically, the campaign aims to help SMEs achieve “3 Rs”: Reborn of hardware and software; Reduction of costs; and Respond more quickly to customer demands.  

“The economy is recovering and this is the right time for SMEs to explore new business opportunities, especially mainland exportation markets,” said Stanley Lau, vice-chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries (FHKI).  Lau adds that SMEs typically lack the resources and technical expertise necessary to evaluate and implement advanced technology solutions. Therefore, they rely predominantly on the assistance of local technology resources. He says that this community of independent technology experts takes the time to understand the needs of SMEs and can help identify and implement a ‘new efficiency’ IT solution that has the maximum impact on their businesses.

“Historically, we have seen that SMEs have responded to economic contractions by intensifying their use of IT, both to cut costs and to defend and enhance their customer relationships,” said K M Yim, chairman of the Hong Kong Institute of Marketing (HKIM). Yim notes that if SMEs respond to the current crisis as they have in the past, they can expect that a sizable number of smaller businesses will seek IT as a marketing tool to achieve ‘reborn’ of hardware and software, reduction of costs and quicker response to customer needs. "This IT investment can lower operating costs, boost employee productivity and increase connections to customers so as to reap the benefits of the economic recovery in the years ahead,” he says.

Any company with fewer than 250 employees is eligible to apply for the "Efficiency Boost" Support Program. Applicants need to elaborate why they feel interested in the “New Efficiency” solutions, and how the solutions can benefit their companies in the terms of revenue, cost saving, productivity and client communications. Microsoft will select five companies and they will be entitled to the following products and services:

• Free software license :  Five sets of Windows 7 Professional certificate and one set of Windows Server 2008 R2 with five Client Access Licenses  
• Free deployment of Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2 and BPOS Trial Account, including Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Office Live Meeting and Office Communicator Online
• Free media promotion opportunity  – publishing of trial report in major publication 
• Free FHKI and HKIM Activity Coupons (each customer will get a HK$2,000 coupon for each association)

To help local SMEs achieve the “new efficiency”, Microsoft is offering 200 Microsoft SME “Efficiency Boost” Action Packs, which help SMEs overcome the initial costs of investing in new IT infrastructures. Designed to allow SMEs experience the latest innovations, the pack includes: 
 

• Windows 7 Enterprise 90-Day Trial
• Exchange Server 2010 120-Day Trial
• Windows Server 2008 R2 180-Day Trial
• Special offer on “Action Pack” provided by Microsoft’s distributor

The application deadline of Microsoft SME “Efficiency Boost” Support Program is Feb. 28, 2010 while the application deadline of Microsoft SME “Efficiency Boost” Action Pack is Mar. 31, 2010.