Microsoft dissatisfied with IT use in Australia - News - Business

To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu

--------------------------------------------------------------
This story was printed from ZDNet Australia.
--------------------------------------------------------------

Microsoft dissatisfied with IT use in Australia

By James Pearce, ZDNet Australia
March 26, 2002
URL: http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/business/soa/Microsoft-dissatisfied-with-IT-use-in-Australia/0,139023166,120264247,00.htm

Australian businesses have a long way to go before they are fully utilising the capabilities of the Internet, according to industry giant Microsoft.

Commenting on recent Australian Bureau of Statistics figures, Alistair Cloke, solutions marketing manager for Microsoft Australia said: -It's good that business is continuing to invest in IT, it shows that in a tough environment they are willing to invest because of the business advantages.

However, Cloke points to the figure of three percent of businesses having their back-end applications integrated with Web technology, and claims big businesses need to encourage small businesses to go online.

-Big businesses can help small businesses through some of the learnings that big businesses have, and their interactions," Cloke told ZDNet Australia. -The easier large businesses can make it for smaller businesses to interact with them via the Web, the better."

The payoff for big business is the automation of processes such as raising invoices and reconciling accounts. This increases process efficiencies, according to Cloke. He said the benefits to smaller businesses include improving customer service, expanding both the hours and field of operation.

-We need to communicate particularly to smaller businesses," Cloke said. -We assume, because of the business that we are in, that everyone knows the benefit of the Internet and transactions on the Web, and that's simply not the case. The focus is on telling business managers what's possible. Getting to those non-IT managers and telling them how various aspects of their business can be improved."