IBM sets sights on SME business

Channel partners to play vital role as Big Blue intensifies focus

Big Blue is looking to the channel to help it significantly expand its SME business in the UK and Europe.

Speaking exclusively to Computer Reseller News, Marc Lautenbach, global general manager for SMEs at IBM, said the firm was "intensifying its focus on the SME sector". He also confirmed that channel partners would play a vital role.

"We have hundreds of thousands of medium-sized businesses and tens of millions of SMEs in our target marketplace, which is predominantly business solutions," he said.

IBM's aim is to provide solutions that give customers a competitive advantage and to work closely with partners. "We can't reach all those businesses by ourselves," said Lautenbach.

IBM is also looking to focus more on the open source Linux platform. The firm launched a bundle for SMEs in conjunction with accountancy software giant Sage earlier this month.

"Linux provides our customers with a technology platform that is open and integrated, and it also means we can work with Sage's partners, which gives us more reach in the market," Lautenbach said.

"In the past, vendors had either an indirect or direct strategy, but now I feel there is scope to do both and still provide value to our customers and profit for our partners. It is an exciting time for IBM," he added.

The firm's new Industry Solutions Portfolio strategy, which is expected to be launched in the UK later this year, will confirm IBM's commitment to the channel, Lautenbach added.

Paddy Lawton, managing director of IBM Premier partner Digital Union, said IBM was making the right moves in the SME space.

"We have been working with IBM for the last three years. It has really started to gravitate towards the SME market," he said.

"The good thing is that the company is pushing [business through] partners first and is not doing things direct."