Bangkok, 27 April 2016 – Microsoft has underlined its leadership in innovative data management and analysis platform by announcing findings from its first-ever Asia Data Culture Study 2016. The company also honored PTT Public Company Limited as Thailand’s “Data Champion” in honor of its pioneering achievements as the first energy company in the country to make use of advanced analytics for business empowerment.
“As we move ahead into the mobile-first, cloud-first era, businesses needs to engage in digital transformation, and data is an essential foundation for success. In fact, we believe that data is the currency of the new economy. Data from IDC indicates that companies with a successful and pervasive data culture stands to generate over $1.6 trillion in additional revenue over the next four years. Furthermore, by the end of 2017, 60% of businesses in the Asia-Pacific region will have adopted digital transformation as a key pillar in their corporate strategies,” said Somsak Mukdavannakorn, Public Sector Director, Microsoft (Thailand) Limited. “Modern businesses need to turn data into actionable insights or even forecasts for the future, which will pave the way to competitive advantage and the creation of new revenue streams. With the right tools, anyone in the organization can discover new insights that drive business success. Once this happens, organizations develop what we describe as a ‘data culture’.”
Microsoft Asia and research consultancy Asia Insight recently organized the Asia Data Culture Study 2016 to explore perspectives on and readiness for data-driven business operations among 940 senior business leaders across 13 Asian markets – including 269 in the Southeast Asian nations of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Notable findings from the study include:
- According to 93% of Thai business leaders, businesses must operate with agility in a data-driven manner. However, 83% stated that their organizations had only just begun to implement a digital business strategy.
- While Thai and Asian business leaders alike recognize how data can enhance their organizations’ performance, Thai businesses see competitiveness against disruptive rivals as a factor of higher importance compared to their Asian counterparts
- Funding and lack of digital skills represent the top challenges in adopting a digital strategy faced by executives all over Asia. In Thailand, business leaders believe that CEOs wield the most influence in driving successful transformation into a data-driven organization.
- An organization with a ‘data culture’ must possess a capable, analytical workforce (97%), strong infrastructure for data agility (93%) – including policies, technologies, tools, and security, and the ability for employees across the organization to collaborate using data and analytical insights (93%) without limiting this capability to a select few.
To further underline the importance of data in driving modern business success, Microsoft has named PTT Public Company Limited, Thailand’s national energy company, as the country’s “Data Champion” in honor of its pioneering achievements as a successful, data-driven organization. PTT is the first energy company in Thailand to achieve business transformation through the power of advanced database management and analytics.
“In the face of fast-changing, unpredictable business situations and consumer demand, PTT’s Oil Business Unit must be able to deliver products and services that precisely address consumer needs and expectations in a distinctive, superior manner,” said Auttapol Rerkpiboon, Senior Executive Vice President, Oil Business Unit, PTT Public Company Limited. “PTT Blue Card represents a core component in our strategy, providing customers with exclusive benefits that strengthen their relationship with the brand – resulting in greater brand loyalty and widespread word-of-mouth.”
“With over 1.4 million cardholders and approximately 150,000 transactions recorded per day, PTT Blue Card is a vital source of customer data. In order to make the best use of this data, we chose to implement Microsoft’s data platform solutions – including Dynamics CRM and SQL Server – for highly-efficient database management and in-depth analytics. Through these solutions, we are able to develop innovative offerings that satisfy our target customers, resulting in repeat purchases and higher brand attachment. Furthermore, by choosing Microsoft’s data platform, we achieved a shorter deployment time thanks to support from their capable experts”
“This success would not have been possible without Big Data Analytics technology. PTT’s Oil Business Unit pioneered the use of this technology in Thailand’s energy sector. This shift allowed PTT to transform into a customer-centric, data-driven company with sustainable market leadership,” concluded Mr. Auttapol.
Mr. Kyo Ohira, Chief Executive Officer of Purple Analytics (Thailand) Limited, an expert in predictive analytics with over 30 years of experience, added: “Today, businesses are facing new challenges that arise from the growth of data across three dimensions – the three Vs of volume, variety, and velocity. In order to cope with these challenges, organizations must turn to the power of data science – a blending of analytics and IT capabilities. As predictive analytics experts, we believe that organizations capable of utilizing data to its full effect must leverage extensive predictive capabilities on support structures that enable timely decision making horizontally and vertically. By reducing time to insight, they will be able to transform their predictive capabilities into competitive edges against the competition.”
As the leader in full-featured data platform solutions, Microsoft has constantly strived to deliver the best products and services for a data-driven world. Today, the company announced the arrival of SQL Server 2016 – the complete database management and analytics platform developed under the “Everything Built-in” concept. The new SQL Server supports hybrid transactional/analytical processing, advanced machine learning analytics, mobile BI, and the combination of different data sources into one. Furthermore, it includes advanced security features such as always-encrypted query processing, while performance is elevated to the next level with in-memory data storage and indexing.
Gartner has named SQL Server as the leader in operational database management systems, both in terms of vision and execution, thanks to its superior performance. Additionally, SQL Server provides unrivalled confidence as the most secure database solution for six years in a row.
Customers interested in adopting SQL Server 2016 can take advantage of a special offer from Microsoft to migrate from their current commercial data platform to SQL Server. For more information on the offer, call 02 263 8888.
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About Microsoft
Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @Microsoft) is the leading platform and productivity company for the mobile-first, cloud-first world, and its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
Established in 1993, Microsoft (Thailand) Limited aims to Make 70 Million Lives Better by enabling Thai people and businesses to realize their full potential through technology that transforms the way people work, play, and communicate. We offer software, services, and devices that deliver new opportunities, greater convenience, and enhanced value to people’s lives. Working with communities and the Thai government, Microsoft and its partners are committed to working closely with organizations and people across Thailand to fully harness the power of technology and innovation.
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