Re: Hey IBM ... Change the Channel!

[Pete Helgren <Pete@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Brian,

I have ranted about this myself.  In fact, at the last Common, I 
specifically challenged Mark Shearer to simplify the process and make it 
easier, especially at the low end of the market, for resellers to resell 
the System i.  This is a very dicey area.  For all of the talk about the 
importance of the SMB area, what IBM and Microsoft have both missed out 
on is that SMB's sell to other SMB's and an SMB is NOT a $4-30 million 
business.  Most "SMB's" are less than a $1 million in revenue ( I think 
60% of them).  So opening up the System i market to resellers who 
traditionally have less than $1 million in total revenue would be a big 
step for IBM.  I'd like to be able to order a 515 like I can an Intel 
server from Tech Data and without a bunch of paperwork and opportunity 
registration.  See an opportunity --> Sell an opportunity.  Done.  
Currently this is an arduous process.

It will be interesting to see if IBM revamps the BP program to align 
itself with the 515/525 "simplify" approach.   I doubt it......

Pete Helgren


Brian wrote:
> Hey IBM...
>
> Today you took a major step in making the System i competitive in the
> low-end SMB market. Now, please take the next step and open up the marketing
> channel for the 515 and 525. Many small BPs have been forced to abandon
> their System i business by the ever increasing number of hoops you've made
> them jump through. Now, the channel is made up of mostly large BPs who,
> unless they are pitching to an already established System i customer, more
> often than not lead with a Windows solution, even when a competitive System
> i solution exists. So, come on IBM, open up the SMB channel and let the
> little guys who truly want to sell the System i participate!
>
> Kind regards,
>
> BJ
>