A year ago, I bet Mark Shearer $1000 that I could come up with at least 50
guys who could help move boxes into their SMB customers just on the basis of
the services work they do for their clients. No VAE software, no BP. Just
give them a phone number where they could place an order. He assigned an
underling to work with me on this idea. I spoke to him once. After that, he
never responded to email or voice mail messages.
I'm still waiting. Hey Mark! Show me the money!
Paul Nelson
Cell 708-670-6978
Office 708-425-4198
nelsonp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[
mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Pete Helgren
Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2007 11:00 AM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: Re: Hey IBM ... Change the Channel!
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
midrange.com
