Business Intelligence (BI) vendor Business Objects has ambitious plans to make it into the top 10 global software vendor list and is appealing to the channel to help it achieve its aims.
The firm is looking to push more than three-quarters of its mid-market business through channel partners and is injecting time and resources into its global partner programme.
Speaking to CRN, John Wilkinson, vice-president, mid-market EMEA at Business Objects, said: “We finished last year with $1.2bn in revenue and we intend to be a $2bn company by 2008. Currently 35 per cent of our licence business comes from the mid-market and of that, 55 per cent is generated through our partners. We want to heavily leverage our channels around the world and want 50 per cent of our business to be from the mid-market, with 77 per cent coming from channel partners.
“The mid-market is growing at 12.5 per cent per annum, which is one and a half times faster than the enterprise market place, so it presents a good opportunity for our partners.”
Business Objects works through three distribution partners in the UK – Ingram Micro, Computer 2000 and Bell Micro. Wilkinson said the vendor is working closely with its distributors to get its renewed channel message out to the market.
He added that the vendor is also offering its partners free e-learning and instructor-led training.
Another scheme the vendor is launching this year is centred around its mid-market product – Business Objects Crystal Decisions. Participating partners that qualify for a Quick Start Business Integration Pack can develop their own version of the product and sell it to their customer base and also to other resellers.
“Our entire partner eco-system can search for any product and if used, a royalty will be paid back to the original developer partner,” Wilkinson said, adding that the pack will be officially launched in May.
Alex Tatham, director of commercial products at Bell Micro, said the channel push was a welcome move.
“Business Objects has a great product set, but it just needs to engage with the channel more,” he said. “Up until now it has had quite a confused channel strategy and tended to compete with some partners.
“We are looking forward to helping it discover the value of the channel and helping its partners create value and services revenue.”
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