REGIONAL CHANNELS
Distribution ’ s go to market . Mazières also points to the demand and rapid growth of security products in the region , which builds the third pillar of Gulf Software Distribution ’ s go to market in select countries of the region .
In addition to analytics , middleware , and security , Gulf Software Distribution will also include IBM ’ s cloud , Big Data , and IoT offerings , to complement the three primary pillars . “ So , a vast majority of the IBM portfolio is covered here and this is what we are bringing to the market with our business partners .” However , Mazières rules out the inclusion of hardware and box pushing as part of Gulf Software Distribution ’ s future activities . As a valueadded distributor , it is focused on high value , complex solutions built primarily around the IBM software portfolio .
“ I do not do hardware . I just do software and we are focusing on where we are good at . We are focusing on the software proposition , which brings value for the market . I am not here to push boxes and to do quantity . I am here to do something which is really a high value proposition with business partners ,” is how Mazières describes the IBM software game plan for this distributor .
Another important aspect of Gulf Software Distribution ’ s go to market strategy is its ramp-up plan . As an IBM value added distributor , the mandate of Gulf Software Distribution is to buy from IBM . Its mandate is also to find and enable business partners , to operate in the high value business and not mass market . After completing a year of operations , a key priority in its channel partner enablement approach is to select partners based on their technology competency . This includes competency in analytics , middleware , and security .
Once these operations have been stabilised , Mazières intends to look at channel partner enablement based on their vertical market competency as well . “ For the time being we are involving partners according to their competencies on what software they are capable of selling ,
KEY TAKEAWAYS
• A key priority in channel partner enablement is to select partners based on their technology competency
• A vast majority of IBM portfolio is covered and this is what we are bringing to the market with our business partners
• Another mandate is to find business partners capable of reselling IBM software
• As a value-added distributor it is focused on high value , complex solutions built around IBM software
• As an IBM value added distributor the mandate of Gulf Software Distribution is to buy from IBM
• By increasing portfolio of non-competing vendor partners it intends to address markets where Gulf Business Machines has not been active
• Channel partners who are ready to begin a hybrid cloud journey with their endcustomers need to be educated and certified
• Cloud is another model of financing and partners understand long-term they will probably make more money than they are doing today
• Hardware business in terms of financing is different from software business
• I am here to do something which is really a high value proposition with business partners
because I think this is the fastest route .” to begin their cloud journey with the end
Other than IBM as a vendor partner , customer . Currently channel partners both Gulf Business Machines and Gulf are mostly selling on-site licensing but Software Distribution are channel there is a gradual movement to the cloud . partners for Dassault Systems , vendor for Data privacy legislation needs to be put 3D Experience and Catia 3D modelling in place to define which data needs to be software . Gulf Software Distribution is also saved in-country and which can be saved a distributor for ERP cloud vendor Oracle in the cloud , similar to European and US NetSuite . Does the cloud ERP suite from regulations , before broad based , regional Oracle NetSuite conflict with IBM ’ s cloud Saas cloud adoption can take place . To suite ? “ It is an ERP , and IBM does not move forward end-customers will need to have an ERP system ,” clarifies Mazières . take the initiative in data legislation and
On the contrary , Mazières believes that data privacy compliance . for its channel partners Oracle NetSuite is Mazières believes channel partners a complementary offering to IBM ’ s Saas need to get started down this road as well . cloud stack . “ Oracle NetSuite is a leading “ Partners have to start . This is our goal as ERP in the cloud . And it is only in the well to enable the partners to adopt that cloud . We are really into that market as model . This is the enablement that we are well , on-premises and on cloud . We see a bringing to the market today .” nice merge as well , wherever we are .”
Currently cloud licensing sales are
By increasing its portfolio of noncompeting , complementing vendor challenged by the financials of pay-as-
limited because channel partners are
partners , Gulf Software Distribution also you-go versus the traditional perpetual intends to address markets with its channel licensing and upfront annual licensing partners where Gulf Business Machines payment . But for channel partners who has not been active . are deeply embedded with their endcustomers this is an opportunity to
Gulf Software Distribution is putting in a lot of effort to enable its channel partners move to the next generation of software
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