On the occasion Global CyberSoft (GCS) Vietnam being named “2007 SME Partner of the year” by SAP Thailand, Vietnam Business Forum reporter Phan Dong interviewed Mr Francis Lee, SAP Asia-Pacific Representative and Country Manager of SAP Vietnam about their business activities.
Could you please tell us the long and short term strategies of SAP Asia-Pacific, for Vietnam in particular?
As you know, Vietnam integrated into the WTO in 2006. We do not have separate long term plans for Asia-Pacific and Vietnam. Presently, we concentrate on development with orientation in the industrial sector and apply for a single partner. We also continue to develop new research with the best practices meeting client requirements. In the short term, we develop the local partner, and Vietnam has an important role in increasing SAP capability.
In 2007, SAP appointed GCS as a strategic partner. In what sector did GCS apply SAP solution and was it effective?
There are 3 sectors that GCS Vietnam applies SAP solutions: consumer products, high tech and chemical. In the first year, GCS faced difficulties due to the lack of employees technically trained for SAP, while in the second year GCS achieved considerable success with increasing numbers of clients.
Could you summarize the 2008 SAP plan applying for a single partner, especially for GCS?
In 2008, we will continue to develop GCS activities like applying the best practices of SAP ERP, SAP All-in-one solutions for enterprises, training employees, supporting techniques to help GCS become a prestigious strategic partner to serve multinational clients in Vietnam. At the moment, GCS clients include Unilever, P&G and B.A.T.
What is your prediction for Vietnam IT from now till the year 2010? By your own ideas, what is the key industry to implement immediately?
Vietnam IT now is facing a lot of challenges. First of all, it lacks local human resources. Second, it must employ foreign technical employees, so the expenditure is too high. This doesn’t benefit enterprises. There are 4 key industries that Vietnam IT can implement immediately: telecommunication, banking, finance and governmental e-commerce. In these branches, SAP believes that production requires great capital invested in order to compete in the trade market. Beside SAP, a lot of foreign partners will come to Vietnam in the future. With its experienced and diligent employees and with the SAP technique support, GCS as a strategic partner will find success in long term activities in Vietnam in the future.
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