IBM launches SME-related contest

 Amid the downturn, IBM is strengthening its long-standing commitment to the mid market with a host of activities designed for SMEs in Thailand between June and September this year. These include an IT makeover contest, a series of workshops in Bangkok and major cities, and a seminar with The Federation of Thai Industries. These activities aim to help SMEs nationwide explore ways they can work smarter and build smarter businesses; to emerge profitable, competitive and cost-efficient in these challenging times.

 Entitled "The IBM Business Reality Challenge", the makeover contest requires SMEs to describe in 100 words or less, their biggest IT challenges and how the one million baht prize will help build a smarter business for them. The Challenge will run from today with registrations closing on 30 June 2009. The Challenge sees participation across the Asean region where one SME from each country will win USD30,000 of IBM IT products and solutions including IBM hardware, software and consulting services. All entries will be evaluated by an IBM panel and representative from The Federation of Thai Industries and the winners will be unveiled in July 2009.

 "The SME market in Thailand is one of the largest and fastest growing sectors in IBM and we are committed to making it easy for these businesses to leverage the technical innovations that deliver business differentiation and spur growth. Through the IBM Business Reality Challenge, we aim to deepen our understanding of SMEs' biggest business and technology pain points and providing them with the solutions to work smarter than their competitors and succeeding in good and challenging times," says Parnsiree Amatayakul, Territory Executive, General Business, IBM Thailand Co.,Ltd. 

 Eligible to participate in the Challenge are businesses with staff strength from 100-999, who are keen to empower their employees through collaborative tools to increase productivity, secure key data and business processes, and keep operational costs low; and game to generate higher ROI within a shorter runway.

 "Many Thai SMEs including Phowadol Resort & Spa Chaingrai, Ampo Mall Ayudhya, and Khon Kaen Fishing Net leverage IT innovations to work smarter. IBM is committed to bringing technology closer to Thailand's small and medium sized businesses, to empower them with agility, scalability and adaptability to fly in today's marketplace," Parnsiree added.

 Last year, IBM Thailand launched the IBM Mobile Office Express to delivered fast-affordable-simple business-driven IT solutions that help enabling Thai SMEs to enhance their business productivity and profitability. IBM Mobile Office Express is a demonstrational "bus-load" of IT solutions tailored to help SMEs in Thailand catapult their businesses for success. It aims to facilitate SMEs to learn about technology and innovative business solutions. To do so innovatively and at the SMEs' convenience, IBM retrofitted a bus with IBM's SME business solutions, where the bus made door-to-door visits across SME premises nationwide.