Re: latest packaging of IBM Rational Developer for i

There are some very good ones and I think that's the majority of them, but you are right, there are some poor ones too. Most of it comes down to a relationship with the customer rather than chasing the next transaction. There's a lot more money to be had from a relationship as opposed to the transaction. Some of them just don't get it.

At the BP I worked at for 10 years we had a staff member who was paid to do nothing more than track all the customer maintenance agreements an alert the customer and the sales staff when renewals were coming up. We would resign the maintenance and make very good money on it. Customer was happy since they did not have a lapse in maintenance, we were happy since we made money on the deal. In the end it saved the customer money to keep everything in force.

Of course it also took a technical guy to help with the configurations, software stacks, licensing etc. since most sales folks don't get that part, and I think that's the root of the problem.

Jim Oberholtzer
Chief Technical Architect
Agile Technology Architects


On 7/26/2013 4:14 PM, John Yeung wrote:

On Fri, Jul 26, 2013 at 4:43 PM, Jim Oberholtzer
<midrangel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> I think you both might be correct. The SWMA on the IBM i software is
> one thing. SWMA on the passport site ( Rational Products ) is another.
> Many shops don't recognise the difference, and the business partner does
> not do a good job of 1) explaining that, and 2) reminding the customer
> to renew maintenance ( also loosing out on a very high margin deal in
> the mix ) .

I'm sure there are some really excellent BPs out there, but the
stories of negligence and/or ignorance on the part of BPs just keep
piling up. In so many areas of the IBM i experience.

I know it's ultimately up to the customer to educate themselves and
protect their own interests. But IBM doesn't make it simple, which is
the whole reason customers go through a BP in the first place. It's
really disheartening.

John
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