UK partners pack bags for PartnerWorld

Vertical expertise set to be a key theme as Big Blue's annual partner shindig returns

Industry specialisation is set to be a watchword of IBM PartnerWorld 2011, which returns next week following a two-year absence.

Kicking off next Tuesday, the two-day shindig will be more exclusive than previous years with just 2,000 invite-only partners and IBM staff set to tread the corridors of the Grande Lakes Orlando Resort Hotel.

UK attendees are expecting Big Blue to add more meat to the bones of its Software Value Plus (SVP) strategy and expand on how partners can use it to earn more moolah for becoming industry specialists.

However, SVP has not been without its detractors since its launch a year ago.

Although Big Blue claims SVP has improved expertise in its software channel, the move left hundreds of partners without the bandwidth to continue selling IBM's full range of solutions.

Another twist came when IBM partner Maywood Solutions set itself up as a clearing house for those left behind. The strategy was not officially endorsed by IBM and led to concerns that smaller partners were effectively being forced to turn over their customer details to a rival to avoid losing out.

The denouement occured when Maywood was liquidated just four months later, with some claiming its SVP strategy contributed to its downfall by exposing it to low-margin business.

IBM unveiled a higher tier to SVP last November with partners demonstrating the necessary expertise in any one of 17 vertical industries set to gain an extra 15 per cent discount.

At that time, Big Blue claimed it had nine partners on board globally, although we understand that – three months later – no UK partners have yet made the grade.

Some partners see SVP as more hoop-jumping, and IBM may have a job ahead of it to convince sceptics of its merits.