Re: Configuring a new iSeries

Syd,

A name from the past !

I trust all is well with you.

I expect the reason that there isn't such a site as  you suggest is manifold 
and some are:

1)    so competitors can know what the prices are and underbid them
2)    fluctuating currencies on an international website lead to discrepancies 
in converted prices
3)    quite often only special "bundled" prices are published on a short-term 
offer
4)    prices are quite often  "negotiable" depending on terms of  
payment/order/size etc
5)    Websites are not always updated that often so prices would be out of date.

Jamie






----- Original Message -----
From: "Dr Syd Nicholson" <sydnic@ccs400.com>
To: <midrange-l@midrange.com>
Sent: Monday, February 25, 2002 5:11 PM
Subject: Re: Configuring a new iSeries


For many clients, the detailed configuration of an iSeries box comes
towards the end of the sales process. The customer has the budget, is
ready to buy, and needs an accurate price. There is no doubt that this
detailed configuration is important when the sale is made.

However, at the beginning of the sales process, the potential customer
often needs only an approximate price (perhaps 10-20% margin of error).
At this stage in the process it does not mater which power supply, which
network, whether an integrated Netfinity server, etc., is present. The
detail is irrelevant.

If is often a slow and cumbersome business obtaining iSeries prices from
IBM and its business partners. It is very easy for the potential client
to perceive that buying from IBM is difficult. It much easier to
price/buy a PC system and many potential sales can be lost. This is an
area where IBM does need to sharpen up its act, or is IBM full of sales
prevention officers.

What I would like to see is a public IBM web site with a built in
configurator. This web site would lead the visitor though a number of
questions, ultimately providing the potential client with a number of
iSeries configurations and prices. When the client is ready to buy the
chosen configuration is passed to their IBM business Partner for
validation and more accurate pricing.

A web site of this nature would save both the valuable time of IBM and
its Business Partner staff. They would not need to field as many
unproductive queries. It would also make it considerably easier for
potential clients to choose their hardware and obtain prices (e.g. for
project budgets) long before they ready to buy. This web site could make
the difference between a company deciding to deploy PC servers, or an
iSeries system.

Syd Nicholson
Managing Director
Castlehill Computer Services Ltd.


JOberholtzer@compures.com wrote:

><snip>
>Leif Questions:
>
>How many cables to you need for an entry-level box?
>And can't IBM figure out to ship that?
><endsnip>
>
>Leif:
>
>IBM does not know what power you plan to use, what country your machine
>will wind up in, power alone is 10 different feature codes depending on
>voltage and country(2 for the USA), and we haven't started to talk about
>watertight and explosion proof, some of which are required by electrical
>code depending on your location
>IBM does not know what console you would prefer, how many and which types
>of workstations you are going to use.
>IBM does not know which one of the 14 different options you would like for
>communications V.24, V.35,  etc. etc. what types of modems or DSU/CSU you
>will use.
>IBM does not know what type of LAN you will be using, there are 10 choices
>there.
>IBM does not know which tape drive you would like to use, 4 choices for
>internal drives and 4 choices for external tape attach.
>IBM does not know how many or what type of DASD you want( 9 choices) or the
>protection method, if any, you choose.
>
>All for the lowly little 250.  I could go on, but I've made my point.
>
>Now, about software, numbers of users, ...   Too much to list here, again
>I've made my point.
>
> IBM has configured such an entry level box for you and Charlie has pointed
>them out.  Every time we get a request for one of those, the order winds up
>changing in some respect, if only to order the correct communications
>cables, the Ops Console cable, and the tape drive that is compatible with
>existing tapes.
>
>Each box has a different mission, and therefore different configuration.
>An entry level box in the USA is different than in New Zealand, the UK,
>EU/Asia etc, so which one do you want?
>
>Jim Oberholtzer
>Senior Technical Architect
>Computech Resources, Inc.
>
>
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