Oracle boss tells channel to try harder

Oracle's recently installed general business unit marketing manager has told its channel it needs to work harder to understand the vendor's business strategy.

Nigel Thomas was last week promoted to head Oracle's general business unit, the indirect sales arm of the business. Thomas, who was previously head of channel sales for internet products, has promised that in return for more aggressive market development, the vendor will hand over marketing funds and training to its partners.

Thomas said he wanted resellers, ISVs and systems integrators 'to understand that we're more than just a big database manufacturer. We want Oracle to be the engine that powers the internet. To do this, we need partners that are skilled across the board and more self-supporting.'

The move follows Oracle chief executive Larry Ellison's recent announcement at the launch of the next-generation 8I database at OpenWorld that the vendor would make #500 million available to its partners.

But resellers claimed the general business unit has failed to penetrate the market in the way the company planned. Over the past two years, the vendor has made several high-profile drives to encourage resellers to push its products in the mid-market. In June 1997, the vendor promised that outside named accounts, all sales would go through the channel and Oracle would provide sales leads and marketing funds.

One channel source said: 'Oracle is still trying to penetrate that market and it has got nowhere near the numbers it was aiming for.'

Thomas admitted that the vendor's aim of having half its business going through the channel - announced at the end of 1997 - had not been achieved.