IBM adds higher tier to SVP
Partners stepping up will net extra discount, co-marketing support and access to IBM´s industry frameworks
Hitting Barcelona: IBM used its Smarter Industries Symposium to launch a new tier for its SVP programme
IBM has added a higher tier to it Software Value Plus (SVP) programme for partners that demonstrate extensive vertical nous.
Unveiled today at IBM´s Smarter Industries Symposium in Barcelona, the Industry Authorisation initiative will net those who make the step up a further 15 per cent discount and extra marketing and product support.
A similar SVP initiative is being introduced for horizontal specialists, with the first certification around security set to debut in February. Distributor Arrow will support partner support and recruitment around the new security badge, while Avnet will take charge of industry-specific SVP partners.
Launched at the beginning of 2010, SVP demanded partners become more technically skilled, or be stripped of the right to sell the majority of its software titles.
Talking exclusively to CRN at the event, Sandy Carter, vice president of IBM Software Group Business Partner, said 2,500 partners had already made the extra investments needed to join SVP. But she added IBM now needs partners with vertical as well as product knowledge.
“According to IDC, 65 per cent of customers today would pay a premium for a partner with industry-specific skills,” she explained.
To qualify, partners must have three references in any one of 17 industries. They are also required to pass two ´industry mastery tests´ and must appear before a board featuring IBM industry GMs.
In return, they will net 15 per cent back-end margin on top of the 10 per cent SVP product discount, co-marketing funding, and access to IBM´s assets including its industry frameworks, which have until now been closed to the partner community.
Carter argued partners would also benefit from having the badge alone. “This is the first time a vendor has had a certification on the industry side,” she said.
“We hope that a lot of partners will go down this route and recognise the premium they can earn from authorisation.”
Talking to CRN, Mark Martin, vice president of marketing IBM Solutions at Avnet Technology Solutions, said: “I believe IBM´s additional focus on industry authorisation will not be for everyone – it is not an all-play for the channel. It is for our most highly skilled partners.”
Laurent Sadoun, EMEA president at Arrow ECS, said it was too early to talk about specific plans, but confirmed the distributor would work with IBM to reach into Arrow´s database of 3,000 European security resellers.
So far, nine industry authorised partners have been announced, including Informatica in Spain and Croz in Croatia.