Hanoi Times - Some 2.7 million of Vietnam’s small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) will have a chance to improve their Information Technology (IT) investments and their integration through a recent collaborative program.

Signed between the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), Intel Vietnam, Microsoft Vietnam and the Vietnam Technical and Commercial Bank (Techcombank), the “Integration with Information Technology” program aims to assist SMEs in the areas of hardware, management software, finance and training.

Under the proposed collaborative agreement, companies will be provided packaged IT solutions, hardware and software at preferential prices when buying computers, which they can purchase by installment plans from Techcombank, along with a chance to use the AC Softhome computer training software from VCCI.

The nationwide program is to run till year-end.

Earlier, the Tax Bureau, the Vietnamese Association of Small and Medium Enterprises and VCCI assigned experts to identify challenges facing small firms and private business households. They concluded finance, market information and interaction with state authorities represented SMEs’ most pressing needs potentially addressable by IT solutions.

“Some 2.7 million private businesses in Vietnam are playing a highly significant role in the country’s economic progress. Intel aims to stand side by side with its strategic partners to improve IT applications and their competitiveness, reduce market-entry costs and develop human resources for IT”, said the General Director of Intel Vietnam and Indochina.

Microsoft Vietnam has been offering a 20% discount to Window Vista Business, Office 2007 and server products for SMEs.