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    IBM Woos Small Enterprises

    Written by

    Stan Gibson
    Published June 5, 2006
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      Frustrated by the challenge of growing its sales dramatically among the large enterprises where it already dominates, IBM has turned its attention to smaller enterprises in a big way.

      For IBM, pursuing smaller enterprises is a corporate imperative across the companys software, hardware and services units. In its most recent quarter, ended March 30, IBM reported impressive profits of $1.7 billion, up 21 percent from the same quarter last year.

      However, the companys $20.7 billion in revenue rose only 4 percent from the year-earlier quarter, adjusting for the sale of IBMs PC division to Lenovo Group and for currency fluctuation.

      The small-business push, if successful, could go a long way toward filling the need for more revenue. But if it doesnt work, it will mean significant R&D dollars squandered without a big revenue boost. Hewlett-Packard is likely to surpass IBM in gross revenue this year to become technologys largest vendor.

      To woo smaller customers, IBM is offering what it calls a Concierge Service for customers interested in its Express Advantage products, which are tailored to small enterprises. Customers can call an 800-number to connect with IBM or a business partner, said Steve Solazzo, IBMs general manager of global midmarket business.

      In hardware, the Armonk, N.Y., company is tailoring for smaller customers wares once sold only to big enterprises. It recently rolled out blade servers optimized for small enterprises; a small mainframe, the z9 Business Class; and a storage bundle geared to small and midsize business buyers, the IBM System Storage DS4700 Express.

      In software, IBMs Tivoli unit earlier this year rolled out four management products in its Express line of offerings for small enterprises that focus on security, storage management, provisioning and monitoring.

      /zimages/4/28571.gifIBM adds muscle to storage virtualization. Click here to read more.

      In services, IBM is seeking to develop packages that can be sold to smaller customers with little customization. “Were trying to get more repeatable offerings. Its a change of mind-set. Instead of looking at things deal by deal, you look at the market,” said Kevin Custis, partner and management solutions leader at IBM Global Services.

      In March, IBM cut the ribbon on a $200 million development center in Bangalore, India, to create software components that can be sold worldwide with little customization.

      These Bangalore-developed software pieces could be sold in IBMs Express Services portfolio, which can be sold by IBMs channel partners or directly by the company.

      /zimages/4/28571.gifCheck out eWEEK.coms for the latest news, views and analysis on servers, switches and networking protocols for the enterprise and small businesses.

      Stan Gibson
      Stan Gibson
      Stan Gibson is Executive Editor of eWEEK. In addition to taking part in Ziff Davis eSeminars and taking charge of special editorial projects, his columns and editorials appear regularly in both the print and online editions of eWEEK. He is chairman of eWEEK's Editorial Board, which received the 1999 Jesse H. Neal Award of the American Business Press. In ten years at eWEEK, Gibson has served eWEEK (formerly PC Week) as Executive Editor/eBiz Strategies, Deputy News Editor, Networking Editor, Assignment Editor and Department Editor. His Webcast program, 'Take Down,' appeared on Zcast.tv. He has appeared on many radio and television programs including TechTV, CNBC, PBS, WBZ-Boston, WEVD New York and New England Cable News. Gibson has appeared as keynoter at many conferences, including CAMP Expo, Society for Information Management, and the Technology Managers Forum. A 19-year veteran covering information technology, he was previously News Editor at Communications Week and was Software Editor and Systems Editor at Computerworld.

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