http://www.channelworld.in/news/index.jsp/artId=4292848
To further strengthen its partner eco-system and provide opportunity for partners to complete their client value proposition, IBM has launched its much talked about speed dating initiative, re-christened as Eco-Link in India. A cross-IBM and cross-IBM partner business network, Eco-Link will promote partners’ collaboration to come up with a compelling value proposition to customers. Talking to Channelworld Anoop Nambiar, Country Manager – BPO, India & South Asia Region informed that Eco-Link will enable an ISV to target new geographies and customers with the help of SIs. These SIs, in turn, will benefit in terms of getting deeper reach into accounts with end-to-end solutions with the help of an ISV.
Discussing the initiative further, Nambiar said that the participants in Eco-Link will include ISVs, SIs, the IBM client team and IBM partner team and each participant will offer his unique value and have stakes. “The initiative will help partners build deals, enrich existing deals and launch new business relationships around various IBM offerings. Each participant will benefit from the Eco-Link,” said Nambiar. He added that the model is designed to enable co-selling and co-delivering with Business Partners on highly customised solutions that include a combination of IBM and Business Partner sales and technical skills. Nambiar shared that as part of the Eco-Link setup an SI will provide project financing and investments, whereas applications and customisation will be done by the ISV.
Meanwhile, IBM has already tapped Chennai and Bangalore with Eco-Link. According to Nambiar, as part of the collaboration, various ISVs presented their solutions to a number of SIs and together were able to generate certain leads. The vendor will also extend Eco-Link to other cities like Delhi and Mumbai in the coming days. “IBM Eco-Link will help partners to move up the value curve, expand their business and connect with new customers,” said Nambiar. The vendor will also be organising its Business Partner summit in July in which its top 100 partners will be participating.