Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Latest News

      Ready To Drag You Into A Market Share Battle

      By
      eWEEK EDITORS
      -
      April 2, 2001
      Share
      Facebook
      Twitter
      Linkedin

        Vendors have long fought for market share on the basis of price and product features, but now theyre about to drag you into their battles at gunpoint.

        Certification, which until very recently has been optional, is about to become a prerequisite for doing business. If you dont have a vendors stamp of approval, youre going to lose out to other solutions providers that do. And if you dont own an account and you cant differentiate yourself from a host of other companies offering similar services, youd better start looking for a new profession.

        Vendors are well aware of this state of affairs. Increasingly complicated solutions require deep expertise, and customers want to know youve got it before they entrust you with a piece of their future. Vendors are all too aware of this, and theyre wielding certification like a loaded weapon—all in the name of effective partnering.

        From their standpoint, the best thing they can offer you is a complete partnership. That means everything from better leads to better support and early access to product development. IBM, AT&T, Microsoft, Cisco Systems, Sun Microsystems, and a long list of others are truly willing to look at their top partners as an extension of themselves.

        For vendors, this is the best way to invade the middle market. They can still deal one-to-one with Fortune 500 companies. But when it comes to selling into midsize companies, as well as some of the larger small businesses, they dont have the contacts or the economics to effectively compete. Thats why they need partners, and the better trained and more exclusive they can make the equation, the better theyll do.

        Cisco pioneered this ground with the Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert classification. A CCIE title is very difficult to acquire. If you happen to get your hands on one, it opens all sorts of doors.

        Microsoft is doing the same with its gold partners, IBM has a long list of tiered certifications, and AT&T has just launched its Solution Provider program.

        All of those classifications bring serious attention by vendors. In return, however, they want a serious commitment of resources and energy. And unless your company has vast resources, that means youll probably have to limit the number of vendor certifications you take on.

        That means consultants will have fewer and fewer vendors to recommend, and it means integrators will have fewer and fewer vendors with which they can go to market. But it also means that unless you have a solid core of vendors to work with, and the certifications to go with them, youre going to have a much tougher time going forward.

        eWEEK EDITORS
        eWeek editors publish top thought leaders and leading experts in emerging technology across a wide variety of Enterprise B2B sectors. Our focus is providing actionable information for today’s technology decision makers.

        MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

        Cybersecurity

        Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

        James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
        I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
        Read more
        Big Data and Analytics

        Alteryx’s Suresh Vittal on the Democratization of...

        James Maguire - May 31, 2022 0
        I spoke with Suresh Vittal, Chief Product Officer at Alteryx, about the industry mega-shift toward making data analytics tools accessible to a company’s complete...
        Read more
        Big Data and Analytics

        GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

        James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
        I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
        Read more
        Applications

        Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

        James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
        I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
        Read more
        Cloud

        Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

        James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
        Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
        Read more
        Logo

        eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

        Facebook
        Linkedin
        RSS
        Twitter
        Youtube

        Advertisers

        Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

        Advertise with Us

        Menu

        • About eWeek
        • Subscribe to our Newsletter
        • Latest News

        Our Brands

        • Privacy Policy
        • Terms
        • About
        • Contact
        • Advertise
        • Sitemap
        • California – Do Not Sell My Information

        Property of TechnologyAdvice.
        © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

        Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

        ×