Cognos vows to aid channel

Cognos is pledging its commitment to the channel after merging its direct and indirect sales teams.

The business software intelligence vendor is vowing to put 40 per cent of its business through the channel after giving its combined sales team indirect volume quotas.

In addition, it has reorganised to focus on vertical markets and is selecting 20 of its dealers to target sectors such as the chemical, manufacturing and retail industries.

Cognos dealer Lysander is one of the first of Cognos? channel to become a premier partner, having set up a business intelligence and data warehousing division in March.

Trish Cosgrove, Lysander sales and marketing director, said: ?No matter how much we were working together with Cognos previously, we weren?t because it had channel and direct teams. Now the sales team still carries direct targets but it can?t make the whole target without passing business into the channel as well so it?s quite a major change. We?ve set up a totally new division because it was apparent there was a lot of potential with Cognos.?

The vendor is also considering implementing co-operative marketing plans with some key resellers.

Chris Coan, Cognos divisional director of channels, said: ?These changes show we are working actively with the channel. We have focused on line of business rather than product functionality and in return are looking for focus from our partners.?

• Cognos is launching Impromptu, its query and reporting tool, and an upgrade to Powerplay 5.2 in June.