Passion comes easily when IT solutions really solve problems

Patama Chantaruck , managing director of Microsoft (Thailand)

Yet if we look beyond these changes to our daily routines, the goal of making life easier can be traced back to the earliest days of Microsoft, when Bill Gates first envisioned a world with a PC on every desk and in every home. With technology now playing such a fundamental role in our lives, perhaps the real question should be: "How can we make technology work for us?"

Moreover, with the current global economic instability forcing many of us to ask new questions about how we invest and spend our money, technology has never before been under such urgent pressure to perform. Indeed, when I spend time with customers and partners in Thailand, the question I am always asked these days is:

"How can Microsoft help our company to save money?"

To address both these questions, the first step is to recognise the real value of information technology. When we are bombarded every day with advertisements for the latest mobile phones and "must-have" gadgets, technology can easily be seen as a luxury.

However, as technology becomes increasingly accessible to everyone through the work of companies like Microsoft, I firmly believe that choosing the right software and IT solutions is not a luxury, but rather a prerequisite for long-term business growth and success.

As those who have met me will know, I never stop personally delivering this message, whether during formal presentations or casual chats. For me, it is easy to be passionate about IT solutions when they really do solve problems. By listening to the needs of customers and partners I can be confident that Microsoft's solutions are relevant to the ins and outs of businesses in Thailand today and I love seeing that moment when customers learn that there is a Microsoft solution out there that can take on a job they have struggled with for months, or even years.

It is also exciting to look at the huge diversity of solutions available now and to think of the future technologies that developers are already working on. By fostering this development and continuing to push the boundaries of innovation, I know that Microsoft can continue to help equip users in Thailand with powerful tools such as Unified Communications that allow them to choose how their software is delivered, managed, and maintained - ultimately boosting productivity and efficiency and reducing costs.

Finally, when I think about Microsoft's own future, I remind myself that even during uncertain economic times, opportunities always present themselves to companies that can successfully remain focused on serving the needs of their customers.