Saturday, September 22, 2007 Microsoft offers software pack to help new businesses improve
MICROSOFT, the world’s largest software company, urged start-up businesses to utilize its Business Intelligence (BI) solutions to improve their performance.
Liezl Milan, SQL product manager of Microsoft Philippines Inc., said Microsoft BI solutions are built on the Microsoft SQL Server Express 2005 fourth edition, which is an “ideal” database for businesses like convenience stores and Internet cafes.
The solutions will make their point-of-sales (POS) operations more efficient, said Milan.
They also incorporate information from data warehouses, enterprise applications, and virtually any data source, she added.
The main highlight of the SQL server is that it can be downloaded at no extra cost, and with no expiration date, from Microsoft’s website after registering the name of the business.
Free
“As much as possible, we want to reach to the lower end of the market by offering it for free,” she said in an interview.
The Microsoft SQL Server Express 2005 platform can be utilized using the Microsoft Office interface making it user-friendly.
This means, there is no need for businesses to spend extra for a separate user application, Milan said.
Microsoft BI solutions are designed to assist employees by providing them reliable access to information that is needed in making informed decisions.
The products enable them to respond immediately and appropriately to conditions affecting the business.
“We want to grow with them (businesses),” Milan said.
“This is why Microsoft understands that once these firms expand, they will eventually need business solutions, other than the POS system, that caters to analysis, reporting and integrated services,” she said.
Seamless
“We want to help them move from one edition to another. Our solutions are seamless. All they need is to install the higher version and not have to buy a new one,” she added.
Microsoft BI solutions include Microsoft Office Business Scorecard Manager 2005, ProClarity Analytics 6 and Microsoft Office Sharepoint Server 2007, among others.
But while Microsoft BI solutions have been readily available in the Philippine market for quite sometime now, Milan said only a few small and medium firms use the products due to lack of awareness.
“The biggest challenge for Cebu is developing a case study of success stories from establishments that use our BI solutions,” she said, indicating that only a few local companies use Microsoft’s business solutions.
She said cooperatives and rural banks are among Mic-rosoft’s big customers for Business Intelligences solutions. (MMM)
