Microsoft chief operating officer Kevin Turner today (5 November 2013) unveiled an online hub that will give South African small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) access to a range of free products and services from Microsoft and other partners.<\/p>\n
The hub is found at southafrica.biz4afrika.com \u2013 it is designed to aggregate all the best resources available to local SMEs, both IT and non-IT.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe baseline services offered are free and highly relevant for South African SMEs looking to bring their business online and improve their general competitiveness,\u201d Microsoft said.<\/p>\n
The launch offer will provide SMEs the opportunity to get their businesses online for free for the first year.<\/p>\n
This includes a free .co.za domain, a free website, as well as free e-mail and collaboration tools.<\/p>\n
The initiative is a collaboration between Microsoft, mobile operator Vodacom, the National Small Business Chamber (NSBC) and the Small Business Development Agency (SEDA).<\/p>\n
The nine categories where assistance is available are: finance and insurance, accounting, legal, marketing, administration, business services, business opportunities, technology and people.<\/p>\n
The hub will also connect SMEs with existing online commercial marketplaces through which they can sell their own products or services.<\/p>\n
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