IBM has been talking through its channel changes with the assorted throngs at Partnerworld.
IBM announced a raft of new storage incentives in April last year, which enabled partner sellers and systems engineers to earn up to $100,000 in stackable rebates. The incentives covered all-flash arrays, Spectrum software and IBM systems deals.
Big Blue said that the outfit will extend the incentives into this year but will allow the incentives will reward all partners for selling on top. There will be additional protection for the incumbent partners on the accounts.
IBM will bring back deal registration for software this year, with a global rollout slated for completion in April. Partners will get “priority access” to discounts on products and services through the vendor’s Special Bid application process. The idea is to reduce conflict among channel partners and improve their profitability.
For those who came in late IBM scrapped deal registration for software two years ago, but IBM’s channel boss John Teltsch made it a priority to bring back deal registration soon after he stepped into the role in July 2017.
IBM is also introducing fixed pricing, or “channel pricing”, on software sold through partners. Partners can still apply for special discounts through IBM’s Special Bid process.
Partners will get the channel price if they are a registered partner. But if you’re trying to put together a competitive offering, partners can come in and tell Big Blue and say that they are adding this value to it. This will win you a special price from IBM which is better than the channel price. Partners will have to prove they are doing something different.
“Even with the small changes we’ve made with the deal registration, Special Bids have gone down by 30 or 40 per cent. We’re already moving faster in getting the deals in front of them.”
Several partner tools, including My Sales Activity (MySA), PartnerWorld Console, Co-marketing Center and Business Partner Connect platform will be consolidated under one platform called MyPartnerWorld as of 15 February.
IBM wants to make it easier for partners to secure marketing development funds, through the relaunch of its co-marketing programme. It has trimmed its co-marketing contract from 18 pages to four pages.
