IBM takes Advantage to its iSeries resellers
Big Blue announces new terms and conditions as a result of listening to partners
IBM has launched new Ts&Cs for its iSeries resellers, in a move that some VARs have called the ‘future blueprint for all channel programmes’.
The new terms will come into force during the first quarter this year, and involve IBM helping its value resellers to make more margin on certain deals, according to resellers.
“We realised that we were losing partners because we weren’t investing in the channel,” said Steve Gibbs, UK iSeries channel manager at IBM told CRN. “So we began working on this programme two years ago to bring all our different programmes under one umbrella that partners can understand,”
Gibbs said the new programme, Opportunity Advantage, is IBM’s attempt to improve the retained margin in the channel. Under the Ts and Cs the base discount has been bought down, and resellers have to register deals and the value around each deal. “This means that VARs who add more value will be adding more margin. Resellers can stack up margin according to how much value they stack up.”
Kevin Drew, managing director at VAR Triangle said this would help to separate the value resellers from the volume resellers. “This is the future of channel programmes, it will help to protect the value players.”
Nick King, managing director at VAR Apex Computers, agreed that the programme was good news for the value iSeries resellers. “IBM has listened and also understood the rationale behind why we wanted theses changes. It’s about putting value on a sale, not the volume of sales you do and it means the value players will be able to make more margin that those just shifting kit.”