Over the years, IBM has gone through a dramatic transformation in order to be relevant to the modern day digital economy. Its strategy is to enable the partners to embrace the great journey and be profitable in the business
IBM is constantly transforming its business and continues its focus on emerging technology and platforms. These include cloud, analytics, Watson, security, IoT, Mobile and Blockchain. In addition to this, IBM has also entered the new market segments through its Cognitive, Digital businesses and has re-organized its focus on industry verticals. The recent connect with the developers in India through the IBM Developer Connect event also highlights the attention on a new market segment led by startups and developers.
While IBM’s journey of transformation is happening all across the technologies solutions, it is also influencing its whole GTM strategy, which is around the Partners.
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“As a result of the transformation we have undertaken together, IBM’s extended ecosystem is uniquely positioned to deliver entirely new kinds of value and achieve increasing profitability.”
Mukul Mathur
Vice President
Global Business Partners and CSI
IBM India/South Asia
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Mukul Mathur, Vice President, Global Business Partners and CSI, IBM India/South Asia, says, “IBM Business Partners are vital to IBM’s business. We work with our Business Partners to seize the opportunities presented by the cognitive era. In a market like India, partners are IBM’s principal route to the market.”
“IBM works shoulder-to-shoulder with Business Partners to create unique client value through combined capabilities, expertise and offerings. Our Business Partners contribute essential applications and skills, which enhances the IBM portfolio, enables innovation and helps build robust solutions. As a result of the transformation we have undertaken together, IBM’s extended ecosystem is uniquely positioned to deliver entirely new kinds of value and achieve increasing profitability,” he added.
IBM works with thousands of Business Partners who are not just resellers anymore – but are developing solutions based on IBM technology. IBM strives to provide the industry’s best Business Partner experience, in all respects. We are committed to efficient, collaborative and mutually profitable relationships with IBM Business Partners and across our Business Partner ecosystem.
IBM’s relationship with partners is a collaboration of equals. IBM has built one of the most extensive global Business Partner networks in the world of information technology today. Each relationship is guided by the IBM Business Partner Charter, which articulates IBM’s commitment to Business Partners and lays the foundation for mutual growth and greater profitability. IBM’s go-to-market strategy and the core IBM values – dedication to every client’s success, innovation that matters, and trust and personal responsibility in every relationship. Working together, IBM and its Business Partners provide the solutions, services and client relationships that deliver superior client value.
Today the industry has moved from traditional way of procuring technologies to buying through cloud. Technologies like analytics, social media, IOT, security have influenced the industries more aggressively and in this case the existing partners are finding the situation tough. To this IBM has built a diverse ecosystem of Business Partners. The numbers of ISVs, MSPs, and System Integrators who are creating new solutions for clients based on IBM technology is doubling year over year. Many newer partners are helping clients leverage, capture and analyze data to become smarter and more responsive. The partners fall into categories based on pre-fixed criteria that include business volumes, references and the skills to quote a few. A structured skilling program is offered to the partners that is essential for the partners to remain in the top category throughout.
IBM PartnerWorld is a global marketing and enablement program designed to help IBM Business Partners take advantage of market opportunities and generate new revenue. The program benefits all marketing, sales, technical, training and collaboration resources.
The new PartnerWorld program is designed to support and motivate all Business Partner types. All Business Partners get opportunities to demonstrate capability through competencies and move up through the program levels. The competency skills requirement recognizes certified sales and technical skills but is not limited to that. As part of making the new program relevant to all types and models of Business Partner, the skills requirement can also be met by a having a verified solution based on IBM technology. For example: an ISV could achieve the skills requirement solely through their verified solutions. In addition, the revenue requirements for attaining the new competencies and program levels will now recognize the recurring revenue streams associated with “as a service” business models as well as influence and resale.
Business Partners who consult on and influence the deployment of client solutions based on IBM technology are eligible to attain competencies and advance through the program levels. The accreditation program that recognizes deployment skills is now integrated into the competencies with specific requirements. The sales success requirement can be met through the achievement of influence revenue.
Asked about how can the existing partners graduate to embrace those offerings, Mukul Mathur added, “Competency roadmaps will be available to enable partners to start planning to attain the competencies that make sense for their business. They will receive a report that outlines their current competency and level progress based on the previous year’s performance. Then, they will have access to a PartnerWorld Program Console that will enable them to monitor their predicted level in the new program and progress toward attaining competencies and the next program level.”
As per Mukul enrollment in a competency is automatic. There is no application or enrollment process. However, certifications must be logged into the PartnerWorld profile and solutions need to be entered into the Global Solutions Directory (GSD). Business Partners will be able to track their progress towards competency achievements via the PartnerWorld Program Console.
IBM is expanding its Business Transformation Initiative (BTI) workshops to reach hundreds of Business Partners across the globe who are looking to transition their business models to higher value solutions and “as a service” delivery. They are also looking at constantly building their business in the emerging areas of business.
Finally…
With IBM continuing to align to shifts in the marketplace and positioning itself for higher value growth, the company has redesigned its PartnerWorld Program to help Business Partners deliver higher value to businesses and organizations in the cloud and cognitive era. We are looking at people who constantly create new opportunities designed to help grow the business and drive increased profits.
