Microsoft Injects RM20,000 into Microsoft Office 365 Optimized Business

Entrepreneur wins RM20,000 in cash for sharing her success story on how Office 365 optimized her business productivity.

Kuala Lumpur, 26 September 2011 – Microsoft Malaysia today announced the winners of its Office 365 Try, Share and Win Facebook contest, held in conjunction with the Office 365 launch in July this year. Grand prize winner of the social media driven contest, Siaw Xiao Zhu, was awarded RM20,000 in cash for adopting and sharing her experiences on how Office 365 helped small and medium businesses like hers, improve its business productivity and collaboration efforts. Xiao Zhu’s winning testimonial posted on the Office 365 Try, Share and Win Facebook page, received the most number of likes and resonated well with the panel of Microsoft judges. In addition, nine other participants received a Windows Phone 7 powered HTC Mozart smartphone each.

“The ability to tap into enterprise class productivity tools like Exchange and SharePoint without the need to invest heavily in infrastructure, software and manpower gives SME owners like me a tremendous advantage to optimise and scale up my business for better success. I really like how Office 365 is almost exclusively DIY (Do-It-Yourself). It’s easy to set up and the interface is very familiar to anyone that’s used to Microsoft Windows and Office. It’s a great tool to help businesses improve productivity and return on investment and I highly recommend other businesses to try it out. Office 365 gives businesses cutting edge tools without the usual corresponding heavy financial outlays. As for my cash prize, the bulk of it is going back to my business,” commented Xiao Zhu during the prize giving ceremony held at Microsoft Malaysia’s headquarters in KLCC.


The Microsoft Office 365 Try, Share and Win contest was organised in conjunction with the launch of Office 365 in Malaysia to encourage entrepreneurs to try a package of powerful enterprise-class Microsoft productivity tools such as Microsoft Office, Microsoft SharePoint Online, Microsoft Exchange Online and Microsoft Lync Online. Participants were required to share their experience on the contest’s Facebook page and provide a testimonial on how their business productivity had improved with the use of Microsoft Office 365.

“The Microsoft Office 365 Try, Share and Win contest provides a great platform for SME owners to try Office 365 and learn how their business can grow with the help of powerful enterprise-class productivity and collaborative tools at a fraction of the cost,” said Grace Lim, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Microsoft Malaysia.

Microsoft Office 365 is poised to be a revolutionary product in advanced emerging markets like Malaysia where 99.2% of businesses are SMEs. It levels the playing field, and gives Malaysian businesses the ability to work more efficiently and effectively to achieve greater success in both local and global markets. We are delighted to be able to assist SMEs to go further and realise their full potential and hope many more SMEs will be inspired to optimise their business with Office 365.” she added.

Microsoft Office 365, the company’s newest cloud service. is now available in 40 markets around the world, and brings together Microsoft Office, Microsoft SharePoint Online, Microsoft Exchange Online and Microsoft Lync Online in an always-up-to-date cloud service, at a predictable monthly subscription available in a wide range of service plans designed to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes, ranging from the largest to the smallest.

With Office 365, people can stay on the “same page” using instant messaging and virtual meetings with people who are just down the hall or across the world. They can work on files and documents at the same time and share ideas as easily as they can share calendars. Office 365 gives people new ways to work together with ease, on virtually any device.

Currently, more than 20 service providers around the globe have also shared plans to bring Office 365 to their customers this year. Bell Canada, Intuit Inc., NTT Communications Corp., Telefonica S.A., Telstra Corp. and Vodafone Group Plc, among others, will package and sell Office 365 with their own services for small and midsize businesses.