Bangkok--2 Oct--Hill & Knowlton Thailand Microsoft (Thailand) Limited has today officially launched its ‘Microsoft Customer Academy’ project at, www.thailandcustomeracademy.com, to further improve customer service and expand customer communication channels. Developed using Silverlight, Microsoft’s new web presentation technology , the Microsoft Customer Academy has been shaped in response to customer comments on Microsoft’s products and services in order to more accurately provide each customer segment with programs that can benefit their unique requirements. Patama Chantaruck, Managing Director, Microsoft (Thailand) Limited said, “Microsoft (Thailand) has always recognized that it is its customers and partners who are the key factor behind our success. It is with this in mind that we have been offering various customer programs designed to equip customers with important knowledge on the latest technologies and innovations, as well as creating value-added services. After the positive reception of these efforts, Microsoft is now looking to take this further by establishing a one-stop customer service channel in order to serve customers in a faster and more effective manner. Customers in the meantime will also have the ability to provide feedback and comments to Microsoft in order to ensure that the end result meets their expectations and requirements. The official launch of the Microsoft Customer Academy will enable Microsoft to communicate better with its customers and serve different customer segments more efficiently — which in turn will lead to improved customer satisfaction.” The Microsoft Customer Academy project has been designed to help customers realize the full potential of their IT investments; from technology awareness to gaining competitive advantages in business. Through a series of online and offline events such as seminars, classroom training, hands-on labs and webcasts, Microsoft is delivering valuable content, encompassing both current and new technologies, to each unique customer role type. Furthermore, the information also highlights the real benefits and value of various Microsoft products, technologies and solutions in specific relation to customers’ business nature and IT requirements. Indeed the Microsoft Customer Academy offers material that has been tailored to the interests of five key customer segments: business decision makers, IT decision makers, IT professionals, developers and information workers. For each segment, the contents focus on how Microsoft products, technologies and solutions can be best applied to customers’ businesses in order to help achieve their desired corporate direction. Initially serving up to 1,500 leading corporate customers, the project’s website at www.thailandcustomeracademy.com allows customers to search for detailed information on Microsoft products and services that are relevant to their own market segment. Users can then choose to receive regular calendar updates for any upcoming Microsoft activities and events, as well as interactive content and VDO clips from any events that they have missed. Furthermore, the site will also act as a forum where customers can get to know others from their segments and exchange ideas with them via online communities. The Microsoft Customer Academy website is supported by Itorama Consulting (Thailand), a Microsoft Gold Certified partner who has worked extensively with the presentation technology in Microsoft .NET framework, and XAML (eXtensible Application Markup Language) within Microsoft Visual Studio to implement Silverlight on to the Customer Academy website. A comprehensive back office system using the latest .NET technology to gather business intelligence data has also been deployed by Genxas Co., Ltd. — which importantly speeds up Microsoft staff’s work processes by allowing them to find customer information easily and at any time. Mr. Sanjay Upadhyay, Managing Director, Itorama Consulting (Thailand) said, “Microsoft’s Silverlight technology will enable Itorama to further integrate .NET development expertise with design capabilities to create rich, web-based media experiences. Silverlight’s cross-browser, and cross-platform capabilities integrated with a flexible programming model is a huge benefit resulting in improved customer experience.” Mr. Suwitcha Chandhorn, Managing Director, Genxas Co., Ltd. added, “Genxas is honored to be selected by Microsoft to develop its Customer Academy back office. With the help of .NET technology, the back office system is more reliable, ensuring that Microsoft staff can acquire accurate customer information and further enhance Microsoft’s relationship with its customers - which is the key to success for any business.” The Microsoft Customer Academy project is the result of numerous surveys conducted amongst corporate clients in order to gain a clear picture of what customers really want. Following the website launch, Microsoft (Thailand) will continue to take customers’ feedbacks and comments into account as it strives to steadily improve the site. To become eligible to use the Microsoft Customer Academy website, corporate customers can pre-register at www.thailandcustomeracademy.com to obtain a username and password. Customers who register by 7th October, 2008 will also receive special tokens that can be redeemed for a range of special benefits from Microsoft. Additionally, with global warming awareness becoming an increasingly hot topic, the Microsoft Customer Academy is also kicking off a ‘Go Green’ initiative. Corporate customers who visit the site are invited to get involved in the campaign and adopt some ‘green’ habits when working with Microsoft. These include reducing the amounts of paper used for seminar registration, reply forms or seminar materials by using digital versions instead — which are available online at www.thailandacademy.com. The saved costs will then be calculated and donated to environmental organizations. Furthermore, the first 200 customers to sign-up will receive 50 special points from Microsoft, with 30 points given to all customers who sign up before October 7th, 2008. These points can then be exchanged by customers for exclusive prizes that Microsoft has selected from all over the world. For further information, please contact: Suphada Chaiwong Hill & Knowlton Thailand Tel: 0-2627 3501 ext 209 Fax: 0-2627-3510 Email: [email protected]