IBM merges partner schemes
Manufacturing giant to consolidate existing European programmes in a bid to speed up product delivery.
IBM has folded its 50-plus European partner programmes into one in an attempt to bring uniformity to the channel and simplify communication with resellers.
Following on from similar moves in the US in May, the revamped scheme, called PartnerWorld, will be introduced during the coming year. It covers four product areas: systems and services; personal systems; software; and developers.
Systems and services will apply to customer-orientated partners dealing mainly in servers, printers, storage, networking hardware or point-of-sale equipment. The personal systems track is for partners that sell direct or influence sales, while the software programme is for resellers that sell IBM, Lotus and Tivoli applications.
The developer track replaces the Solution Developer Programme and will support businesses that create and sell applications and services based on IBM technologies. Access to PartnerWorld will be through a single web portal.
PartnerWorld members, to be known as IBM Business Partners, will be classified into three categories and membership level will be determined by the contribution to IBM revenue through sales or customer influence; the competency in sales and technical skills or in applications deployed to IBM platforms; the commitment to an effective business relationship with IBM; and the processes to drive customer satisfaction.
Basic membership is free, but there will be charges for certain tracks such as Lotus software. Members will receive general information and support tools which will be delivered electronically.
IBM Advanced Business Partners will be required to have one technical certification and one ebusiness sales skill for admission to the scheme.
Advanced Partners in the systems and services track will need to have a good customer satisfaction process. Benefits include lead management and co-marketing opportunities.
IBM Premier Business Partners will need four technical certifications, with one being in ebusiness, and two in sales skills. They must also report results regularly. A way of assessing customer satisfaction must be in place, and Premier members of the systems and services track must achieve a set level of customer satisfaction. Premier members will receive lead generation, joint marketing support, invitations to partnering workshops, promotion within IBM and the use of a Premier partner logo.
Giuseppe Giuliani, vice president of the Business Partner Organisation for EMEA at IBM, said: "When the market focused on single technologies, individual Business Partner programmes were the fastest way to get products to customers. But with our developing business in end-to-end packages and strength in ebusiness, we must integrate the schemes to make product delivery easier."
He added that the programme will not replace the contracts resellers have with IBM. PartnerWorld is also not an attempt to strip the channel, Giuliani insisted.
"We expect an additional inflow of partners in the member tier because this programme is through a single web portal. It makes access much wider," he said.
A training and certification programme will also be set up to support PartnerWorld Engineers.
Alan Hixon, chief executive of IBM reseller Catalyst, said PartnerWorld will simplify contact with the vendor. He added the scheme laid the basis for a single contractual relationship with IBM.
Mark Balding, business relationship manager at Triangle, said: "This will produce a more consistent view from the IBM brand organisations on the importance of business partners."