IBM’s multi-year agreement with Ordyn Technologies or IBM’s implementation of unified communications and collaboration solution for IDEA Cellular etc. might not be a quite thrilling news for the market, because IBM means a big machine, big project or big technology – and big money also. But what enhances its capability or calls it smart is the capability to address the entire breadth of customers starting from a home office to a large enterprise.
Recently, justifying its capability, IBM had strengthened its focus on the SMB sector and IBM Express Advantage was launched. VARIndia spoke to Mukul Mathur, Director – Channel Strategy & Marketing, IBM India/South Asia, to know the scheme inside out.
It is very much known that SMBs are heterogeneous in nature and have unique needs that are specific to its vertical industry and local market. Therefore, IBM makes it possible for SME customers to choose the Express Advantage solutions and services dynamically that are right for their business.
According to Mukul, “Express Advantage” is a strategic initiative which includes a comprehensive portfolio of Express Advantage products and services. It provides mid-market businesses access to a network of local IBM Business Partners and customer experience capabilities, providing them with a unified end-to-end approach to help them innovate and grow. He adds, “The Advantage offerings exemplify how we collaborate with business partners and ISVs to develop solutions that will enable customers to minimize the business challenges while increasing their return on investment.”
It is the version of on-demand computing for the SME market. IBM, probably, is the first in the industry, which had initiated adaptive
computing or on-demand computing. It takes a lot of technology, services and process to make it happen successfully. Though the products are an integral part, the importance of the products gets marginalized. Similarly, Express Advantage is more than just a set of offering. Mukul maintains, “Though it is a fresh new way of doing things“– a fundamental change in the way, we support medium business designed to address business needs and technology challenge, and to optimize resources and budget capabilities.”
Apart from Software, Systems and Technology, the Express Advantage includes services, security, business recovery, employee
collaboration, energy efficiency, etc. The offerings are broadly categorized as point products, infrastructure solutions and business solutions.
No doubt, the mid-sized customers can have a number of benefits out of this programme, as they will get the entire enterprise-class solutions at their doorstep. However, the mid-sized customers cannot afford to have specialized persons to take care, collaborate and fine-tune the solutions for the utility of the enterprises. And, the cost of ownership becomes high for the entire capabilities in terms of technology and services. But, here, the IBM Express Advantage helps mid-sized customers navigate the breadth of IBM products and services that are easy to buy, install and manage, in order to resolve their business challenges and grow. Customers will also have
access to a single-source, local business partners who have a wide range of capabilities and industry-specific knowledge. Express Advantage further cements our commitment to help the SME market, the countries biggest contributor to the growing economy.
IBM Messaging solutions help mid-market businesses collaborate effectively within and outside their organizations with its Lotus8 suite of products on the IBM server that helps in increasing productivity. IBM Backup solutions include a comprehensive suite of products from Tivoli and Storage brands focussed on the key data protection activities of backup, archive, recovery, space management,
and disaster recovery planning. IBM E-mail security solutions for mid-market is designed by its Global Technology Services to help build an offering that serves as a first line of defence by scanning email and eliminating threats before they reach their network on affordable payment scheme. Similarly, IBM Server solutions include both Intel and UNIX platform solutions that help build robust infrastructure for mission-critical application environment. Retail store solutions include checkout and kiosk solutions to better organize your retail business.
One of the key benefits of Express Advantage is that IBM Financing Advantage (IFA) has been designed specifically for the mid-market. IFA offers customers and Business Partners complete single-source financing at competitive rates, featuring easy access to leases and loans for IBM and non-IBM hardware, IBM software and IBM services, and a full range of buyback, recycling and scrap services to help manage costs, while simultaneously funding growth.
On the other hand, it also helps the channel partners to grow and evolve. Mukul says, “We are putting in place a whole series of initiatives that facilitate not only the partners working with us, but also, very importantly, partners working with partners. And for effective collaboration, we launched the Partner World Express Advantage program to provide the marketing, sales and other resources to sell in the mid-market space. Under this initiative, IBM signs partners with their products and services built on IBM suite of products called IBM Built on Express Advantage.”
The PartnerWorld Business Partner ecosystem is a powerful network of Partners teamed with proven methodologies, solutions and products. The Partners enjoy access to the PartnerWorld Express Advantage Web site that provides the kind of revenue-enhancing
resources they need to sell more and close deals faster in the lucrative SMB space. The Sales Dashboards on the PartnerWorld Express Advantage Web site guides partners to priority assets for each stage of their selling cycle.
The Industry Insights and Infrastructure Insights on the site provide the key information on business resilience and security, optimizing IT, etc.
The Campaign Designer demand-generation tool offers great reach and cost-effectiveness. The Partners can quickly develop multi-tactic demand-generation campaigns at no charge and execute high-quality customized marketing collateral at affordable prices.
The Business partners also have access to the Express Advantage Partner Centre – A dedicated service exclusively for Business Partners that quickly and easily connects callers with the right people and information resources to answer questions or solve problems. The company believes it is just as important to help its expanding partner network, as we do our customers, navigate IBM resources.
This program is available to all business partners who are catering to the SME market.
And, the SMBs, despite their size and shape, can take advantage of the Express Advantage offerings. Mukul adds, “Our enhanced customer assist programme makes it easier than ever to do business with IBM and our Business Partners.” The Express Advantage centre connects businesses to an unparalleled network of people, products and services designed to help them solve business and technology problems. Direct access to us is just a phone call away and representatives will quickl
y and efficiently connect the customers with the right IBM Business Partner resources so they can get on with their business.
Although IBM has been working for the Indian mid-sized customers for a long time, it cannot get rid of the image of being the patron of the large enterprise so easily. The biggest reason is that IBM is not making enough noise for it. However, the company has finally found ways and means through Express Advantage Initiative to address the mid-sized customers. Mukul says, “IBM’s Small and Medium Business division is the fastest growing sector in IBM India with the Global Small & Medium Business (GSMB) unit, accounting for about 20% of the company’s total revenue worldwide, and almost 60% of the business here in India. Given that the SME market is – and will remain–– a pivotal growth area for us in India and globally, we plan to increase awareness of the Express Advantage initiative through direct mail to interactive activity and the Web plus co-marketing support and more. Our ‘Simple’ marketing campaign is designed to drive awareness of IBM Express Advantage and provide support for IBM Business Partners to sell into the mid-market.”
Finally… The Express Advantage has been launched in six major cities, but very soon the company plans to cover other cities also.
