IBM's Lotus Position
IBM, an enterprise-focused giant, sucked the life out of a thriving, robust SMB channel that Lotus had cultivated and built up over many years. Bottom line: The SMB partners Lotus had in its fold simply do not seem as important to IBM as they were to a hard-driving Lotus, which was on a mission to make Notes the groupware business standard.
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\ STEVEN BURKE Can be reached at (781) 839-1221 or via e-mail at sburke@cmp.com. |
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Consider the Microsoft channel evolution during the same period, and you have a case study in channel commitment. Microsoft's aggressive, take-no-prisoners culture makes it a big target, but it is also Microsoft's greatest strength. Former IBM Chairman Louis Gerstner's claims of a cultural transformation at IBM certainly did not have a positive effect on the Lotus culture and channel. What was once a passionate work environment has been reduced to a nine-to-five punch-the-clock workplace. The Lotus channel is a case study in what happens when a company does not nurture its partner base through solid programs and communications.
The IBM executive team,including Al Zollar, the outgoing general manager of IBM's Lotus unit who is now moving over to manage IBM's iSeries server unit, and new Lotus software chief Ambuj Goyal,have got to ask themselves just how deep a channel they are committed to building, especially as IBM prepares to take on Microsoft, Dell Computer, Hewlett-Packard and other vendors in the SMB market.
Zollar was brought in at Lotus three years ago to integrate it firmly into the IBM fold. That he did. At the same time, Lotus' partner network has been cut nearly in half, by some estimates.
Now IBM says it is investing heavily to increase partner touch for its entire software porfolio. Microsoft ties its top executives' compensation directly to partner satisfaction. That commitment, along with an all-out passion for changing the world through software, is a big differentiator for Microsoft. It's something IBM could learn a lot from as it embarks on its SMB assault.
What do you think of IBM's Lotus position? Let me know at (781) 839-1221 or via e-mail at sburke@cmp.com.
