Microsoft Invests in the Next Generation of Kiwis

Microsoft Invests in the Next Generation of Kiwis Microsoft NZ kicks off Volunteer Awareness Week with a significant software and services partnership with Plunket

Plunket is set to receive a major boost in technology and productivity, thanks to a significant software and support services partnership with Microsoft New Zealand.

Coinciding with the start of Volunteer Awareness Week, this partnership will make life easier for the 6,500 staff and volunteers at the children’s health services provider, as well as making Plunket one of the biggest users of Microsoft’s Online Services in the Asia Pacific region.

Microsoft NZ has agreed to supply a complete range of software and applications for 1,500 core users, and another 5,000 volunteers, which will help Plunket better monitor the services it provides to communities nationwide, improving customer service and enhancing the organisation’s data management systems.

“This support will enable us to deliver improved services to New Zealand families by connecting our teams to a central communications environment so they can have greater access to the tools and resources they need, and allowing us to work more closely with other healthcare services,” says Plunket CEO, Jenny Prince.

“Many of our core systems will be updated, creating new capabilities nationally and locally and reaching out via remote connectivity into the homes of our clients. For example, by automating the car seat rental systems we will be able to track and manage this business much better than we ever have before.”

Along with the software, the Microsoft Support Team will be assisting with on-going technical support to ensure the software and systems are properly managed.

“The Royal New Zealand Plunket Society is an iconic New Zealand NGO, providing support for Kiwi families for the development, health and wellbeing of children under the age of five, and whose reputation is illustrated by the support the organisation receives from the New Zealand public and Government,” says Kevin Ackhurst, Managing Director Microsoft New Zealand.

“We are delighted to be able to form this partnership with Plunket and invest in the organisation’s future development to help them reach their full potential”.

Among other projects, the overall support package will help Plunket set up a nationwide E-Plunket network and communicate with all Plunket staff and volunteers around the country, as well as providing better communication channels for New Zealand families through the integration of face-to-face (Family Centres), voice (PlunketLine), data and web technologies.

The software support that has been identified consists of all the Microsoft software Plunket office and nursing staff require, including a set of applications that are housed in the cloud (on the Internet) as well as onsite software solutions. These products include Microsoft CRM, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft Project, Microsoft SharePoint, Microsoft SQL Server and Windows Client.

The project will also be Microsoft NZ’s largest roll-out of its Online Services product to date, and allows the company to demonstrate the powerful role technology can play in improving social and economic wellbeing.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realise their full potential.

ENDS

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