RP remains a potential market for techie stuff

CEBU, Philippines - The Philippines remains to be a good market for technology solutions, especially for servers, as most Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) now see the benefit of technology to their businesses.

Microsoft Corporation’s worldwide general manager Bill Hilf recently visited Cebu to introduce the company’s newest server product to SMEs, the Windows Server 2008 Foundation.

 Hilf said that only two percent of the total number of SMEs in the Philippines, which comprise over 90 percent of the businesses in the country, use servers.

He said the reduction of pricing in the technology solutions, such as the effort of Microsoft to make their products affordable to the market, has helped businesses to consider employing legitimate solutions in their businesses, and those server products for instance, is one of the priorities.

Windows Server 2008 Foundation, the latest addition to the Windows Server Family, is an affordable and ideal platform for small businesses with less than 15 users. It provides a core portfolio of IT capabilities, which includes file and print sharing, remote access and security and other general server purposes.

All over Asia, Hilf said the Philippines is one of the most promising markets for Microsoft in this product category, aside from SMEs which still has to employ this kind of technology, the robust Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry here fueled the active technology solutions take up in the country.

“The Philippines is unique in a lot of ways. A lot of growth [is seen] in local businesses, as well as multinational companies [MNCs] that are operating here,” Hilf said adding that the Philippines is regarded as growth areas for MNCs.

He said the lower price of servers now, especially with the new Windows Server 2008 Foundation, which cost lower than P50 thousand, is expected to heighten the penetration rate of server usage in Philippine businesses, Hilf said.

Besides, this kind of technology solutions of SMEs is being offered with a very “user friendly” structure, as simple as using a PC, he said.

 “With micro, small and medium enterprises [MSMEs] making up the majority of business enterprise in the Philippines, we feel that it is perfect time to look after the needs and with the release of Windows Server 2008 Foundation, we believe that this product will enable them to become more competent and cost-effective at the same time,” Hilf stressed.

 This newest venture of Microsoft Philippines not only offers small Filipino companies with the most advanced technology for their business. It is also a venue for Microsoft to provide support to those who need it most, he said.

Windows Server 2008 Foundation is available through Microsoft Philippines’ OEM partners namely HP, IBM and Dell. Through these partners, customers will have access to product support, free training, resources and ongoing updates.— Ehda M. Dagooc