Microsoft's 45 per cent global revenue comes from SMBs

The company is concentrating on its existing business of SMB in Middle East and is reaching out to all sizes of SMBs stated Laurent Delaporte, Vice-President (Small mid- Market Solutions and Partners), Microsoft EMEA, who is in UAE on an official visit.

Delaporte, said: "Microsoft has been working in the SMB market for as long as we have been in operation, and while the definitions of what an SMB is differ from market to market, and between different industries, Microsoft is still able to play a vital role in providing the tools that these businesses need to make. Microsoft is working towards providing cost effective solutions that are suitable for SMB's that would help them cut their cost of operation, and to maximise their efficiency.

A sequel to Microsoft's existing focus is also evident with the launch of a new Microsoft Partner Programme (MSPP), beginning first week of July this year.

The MSPP provides reseller partners who are either selling or implementing Microsoft software with a number of specialised resources and training that arm them to go out and provide solutions specifically to meet their customer needs.

So why is SMB attracting all the attention? The answer is simple - many SMB's do not have adequate skill to address the business problems with IT problems and this is where Microsoft and its partners steps in to provide solutions to these companies. The SMB market also suffers from popular myth that 'we cannot afford a high end IT set up', while the fact is these companies fail to understand that costs can be minimised by taking adequate steps at right time.

Delaporte, further said: "We are focusing on four offerings specifically for the SMB, including the Windows client platform for desktop PCs, Microsoft Office and other productivity solutions, the Windows server platform and Microsoft Business Solutions."

Microsoft Business Solutions is of a particularly important focus, as it a very clear area where Microsoft can demonstrate its capabilities not just as a technology provider, but as a solutions provider. MBS products are designed specifically for the SMB market, and include applications such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) and customer relationship management (CRM) that can really help a company to better manage its business.

Currently the company has 20 direct partners across UAE, with a particular focus on the manufacturing, hospitality, retail, General trade and Professional Services.

The company is also making a significant investment in technical aspects such as pre-sales support for customers and partners and is helping partners identify their core competency. Training and certification, which is provided by Microsoft's authorised training partners helps these reseller companies become qualified in new technologies, to ensure the highest standards of service for small business customers.