Techaisle Blog

The debut of IBM Partner Plus marked a significant evolution from the previous PartnerWorld program, specifically designed to accelerate partner business velocity in a rapidly changing cloud adoption landscape. Key to this launch were interconnected enablers such as insider access to sales and training materials, a focus on competitive and transparent incentives, and enhanced support for skill development in critical areas like AI and cloud. The program also introduced a simplified IBM Partner Portal offering real-time incentive visibility, an automated deal share engine, and increased co-marketing and co-sell support investments. These initial steps laid the groundwork for the simplified engagement, enhanced partner enablement, and targeted incentives, demonstrating a consistent strategic thread from the program's inception to its current manifestation in driving AI and hybrid cloud adoption through the ecosystem.

By establishing a program designed for diverse partner models and emphasizing transparency and support from the outset, IBM Partner Plus created an environment conducive to the "Build, Sell, Service" pillars and the incentivization of high-growth areas like Software as a Service (SaaS) and AI. The program's foundational goal of aligning with partners expanding their cloud market presence directly correlates with the current strategy to leverage the ecosystem for broader reach and deeper client engagement in AI and hybrid cloud solutions. This continuity underscores IBM's sustained commitment to its partners as central to achieving scale and success in these transformative technology areas.

The strategic alignment with partners, crucial for success, reflects the fundamental reality that in the dynamic world of enterprise technology at the intersection of AI and hybrid cloud, scale is paramount, and achieving this requires not only innovative products but also a robust and interconnected ecosystem. IBM's strategy for driving growth in the AI and hybrid cloud era is deeply rooted in cultivating a vibrant ecosystem – a community of diverse participants, including value-added distributors (VADs), resellers (VARs), service partners, and independent software vendors (ISVs), working harmoniously towards mutually beneficial outcomes.

The objective of IBM's ecosystem strategy is straightforward: to work hand-in-hand with partners to scale the IBM technology business in a way that benefits everyone involved. This requires a deep understanding of each partner type's diverse needs and drivers and aligning those towards common goals, specifically seizing the significant opportunities presented by AI and hybrid cloud.

The accelerating pace of technological evolution has undeniably cemented information technology's role as a fundamental driver of success across the business spectrum. However, within the dynamic SMB and mid-market segments, the intricate dependencies and escalating complexities of IT infrastructure and application portfolios present perhaps the most significant challenges. As these organizations grapple with managing an ever-widening array of sophisticated technologies, the demand for knowledgeable, trustworthy guidance transcends mere preference; it becomes a strategic imperative. Pertinently, Techaisle research consistently highlights that a substantial majority of SMBs and mid-market firms actively seek out and favor suppliers who provide technology advisory services firmly rooted in addressing specific business issues, valuing providers who demonstrate a genuine, vested interest in their long-term success. Navigating this increasingly complex IT landscape necessitates more than just product procurement; it demands the consistent presence and expertise of a trusted advisor. It is precisely this critical market need for informed, reliable guidance that Dell Technologies strategically addresses.

More Than Sales: Dell's Investment in Small Business Advisory and Success

Dell Technologies recognized this imperative early on, launching its Small Business Advisor program in May 2016 with the core mission of simplifying technology complexity and smoothing the path from consideration to purchase. My earlier exploration of this program highlighted Dell’s commitment, including a substantial multi-million dollar investment in training and resources, underscoring a dedication to small business success. This initiative was built on the understanding that while there might be a perception of Dell advisors solely focusing on PC sales, the reality is a commitment to advising and selling end-to-end solutions. For more intricate requirements, such as digital transformation initiatives, Dell established clear second-level escalation pathways, ensuring that front-line advisors could connect small business needs with large order specialists or technical resources capable of providing comprehensive, end-to-end infrastructure guidance and configure solutions tailored to specific customer requirements. The emphasis was, and continues to be, on advisors acting not as mere sales agents but as experts capable of assessing a small business's position in its technology journey and offering contextual guidance. Its objective is to counsel customers on their immediate needs, potential future solutions, necessary fixes, and optimal next steps, fostering a more holistic and positive customer experience.

The Amazon Web Services (AWS) Partner Network (APN), launched in 2012, has been instrumental in AWS’s success since its inception in 2006. This vibrant ecosystem fosters collaboration and the development of innovative solutions for customers globally. Recognizing the significant role of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in the global economy, AWS introduced the SMB Competency Program in January 2024 as a strategic initiative tailored to empower partners serving this crucial segment. This program, the first AWS go-to-market specialization explicitly for partners serving SMBs, was developed after extensive discussions with partners to understand their unique requirements deeply. Now, AWS is doubling down on its commitment by introducing a suite of enhanced benefits designed to accelerate the growth of these partners further and enable them to deliver even greater value to their SMB customers.

The AWS SMB Competency recognizes partners with a proven track record of helping SMBs thrive in the cloud by offering rigorously vetted solutions in areas such as migration, modernization, security, data storage, disaster recovery, AI/ML, and SaaS solutions. The inaugural cohort of 30 partners unanimously endorsed the program. This is crucial as 55% of customers view, as per Techaisle data, partner competencies as “absolutely essential” when assessing partner capabilities. The SMB market presents a substantial opportunity, with SMBs and midmarket firms projected to spend over $650 billion on cloud solutions in 2025 – Techaisle data. Notably, AWS is actively focusing on both the "middle" and previously "overlooked" SMB segments, recognizing the evolving channel dynamics and the pivotal role SMBs now play.

The new benefits amplify the existing advantages of the competency, reinforcing AWS's dedication to a thriving ecosystem focused on the unique needs of SMBs. These enhanced offerings include:

In the dynamic world of technology, strategic acquisitions often serve as pivotal moments, reshaping market landscapes and redefining how services are delivered. The recent integration of ITsavvy into Xerox IT Solutions stands as a testament to this, marking a significant evolution from a successful channel partner to a critical component of a global IT powerhouse. This is not merely an acquisition; it is a strategic convergence that warrants a closer examination of the underlying rationale, the intricate platform integration, and the transformative impact it promises for Xerox's service delivery capabilities, particularly within the often-underestimated SMB sector. 

The Genesis of a Strategic Convergence 

The initial reaction to the announcement – "Why Xerox?" – underscored a perceived unconventional pairing. ITsavvy, a recognized provider of robust IT infrastructure solutions, aligning with Xerox, a brand historically anchored in printing and document management, initially seemed an outlier. However, a deeper analysis reveals a strategically sound convergence built upon complementary strengths and a shared vision for unlocking significant potential in the IT solutions landscape. This partnership wasn't born of chance but from a calculated recognition of mutual benefits. 

In its evolution from a hardware-centric entity to a service-oriented enterprise, Xerox has progressively broadened its service portfolio beyond traditional maintenance into digital transformation and comprehensive IT support. This transition has been underpinned by its extensive service network and a substantial base of technical representatives. Over time, Xerox strategically accumulated a portfolio of IT services acquisitions across various geographies. However, these assets remained somewhat fragmented. ITsavvy, with its unified and agile platform, experienced leadership, and a well-established partner ecosystem, presented a compelling solution. The proposition of consolidating Xerox's diverse IT assets onto ITsavvy’s cohesive platform offered a clear pathway to unify and significantly enhance Xerox's overall IT service offerings.