Microsoft boss in SME pledge
A SENIOR executive from technology giant Microsoft has pledged the organisation’s commitment to small businesses is “for the long haul”.
Clare Barclay general manager for UK small and medium solutions and partners at Microsoft, told TheBusinessDesk.com that she is “passionate” about demystifying what technology is and how it can transform a small company in terms of new customers and also efficiency.
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Microsoft has forged relationships nationally with many local enterprise partnerships – as a means to drive its penetration in local business communities.
With Greater Manchester’s Business Growth Hub, it has helped launch a digital TV platform to support businesses looking to make the most of online growth opportunities. The digital TV channel provides free ‘how-to’ advice to businesses in the region and also explains the benefits of some of Microsoft’s products to them.
Barclay explains: “Technology, is simply a huge enable for small businesses -it can transform the size of your customer base. It’s a big leveller in terms of allowing a company to access a huge market through the web.
“This is why we are focused on supporting growth projects in the regions – being engaged in the community is so important, as are partnerships with organisations like Santander and the Business Growth Hub.
“Through partnerships we want to make sure small businesses know what to invest in, and to help them as their business grows. The growth in our economy is coming from small businesses and it’s important that they see the benefits of what technology can do.”
With confusion in the general public over terms such as “cloud computing” and “big data”, Barclay says Microsoft’s approach advocates “keeping it simple”.
“Yes, there is more to technology than checking emails, but depending on which generation people come from, we have to make sure they understand how using information can be useful to them and their business in allowing them to understand their customers.”
She adds: “For many people running businesses their time is their most precious resource, and I believe passionately that technology will enable them to spend more time growing their business and serving their customers. It is important to demystify technology and show its benefits.”
On the subject of cloud computing she says it is a massive boon to allowing employees to work flexibly.
“The Cloud is liberating people. I run a pretty big business for Microsoft and all of that business I’m able to run from my smart phone. We are not in a 9-5 economy any more, if you are not online there’s a possibility your business is are missing out on sales or an important interaction with a customer.”
