Microsoft is using its technology to make big impacts on industries like healthcare, where it recently helped contribute to a post-patient care solution, called ImagineCare. At the same time, the company is also working with a customer-centric mindset to empower all of its customers, even those who prefer Apple devices.

James Staten, chief strategist of the Cloud+Enterprise Division at Microsoft, sat down with John Furrier (@furrier) and Lisa Martin (@luccazara), cohosts of theCUBE, from the SiliconANGLE Media team, during OpenStack Days Silicon Valley 2016 at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA, to discuss Microsoft’s focus on its customers, as well as how its making a difference in various industries.

“The big thing for us is to empower all employees to be successful,” said Staten, describing Microsoft’s inclusive strategy that welcomes everyone with an organization: those with technical skills and non-technical skills; those who have traditionally not had a Microsoft mindset; those who use Apple devices; and those who want to stay 100 percent open source.

“Whatever it is you want to build, you should be able to build on our platform,” Staten said.

Compute capability everywhere

This platform is Microsoft Azure, an open, enterprise-grade cloud computing tool that empowers the connection between on-prem and cloud by providing access to thousands of resources on a per-hour basis, and allowing organizations to move to the cloud at their own pace.

“It’s about putting the right functionality in the right location to give the customer the appropriate experience,” said Staten.

The importance of a Hybrid cloud

Staten uses the healthcare system as an example of the importance of a hybrid cloud. In critical situations, it is essential to have information available offline and to store data securely while having it available where and when it is needed. With hospitals now being judged by customer satisfaction, there is pressure to prevent unnecessary recurrent visits and ensure efficient treatment.

Dartmouth-Hitchcock’s ImagineCare solution, based on Microsoft technology, is a solution that tracks what a patient is doing after the doctor has given them instructions and sent them home, helping to make sure that patients actually do what their doctors tell them to do, preventing avoidable visits to the ER.

Microsoft + LinkedIn = ?

Asked about Microsoft’s plans to acquire the social networking platform LinkedIn, Staten pointed out that the two company’s missions align: Empowering all employees to be more productive. Inside company collaboration and communication happens through Microsoft office, while inter-company and employee collaboration and communication occurs through LinkedIn.

Transformative. Innovative. Collaborative. Customer-centric.

The playbook is now social media driven and collaborative, and the new peers to watch are not traditional competitors, but what the start-ups are doing, said Staten. It’s customer driven — about providing the best customer experience and knowing what is most needed by the customer.

Watch the complete video interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE and theCUBE’s coverage of the OpenStack Days: Silicon Valley 2016.

Photo by SiliconANGLE