By Paul Kunert

10 October 2008

IBM will open up a raft of direct accounts to business partners early next year as part of a cost cutting process.

As a result Big Blue has delayed the roll out of the Principles of Engagement programme that had initially been earmarked for release in the middle of last month.

The programme includes a set of guidelines pertaining to System X that explains which accounts will be direct or set aside for partners, but the rules will also be applied to other products in the portfolio.

In August IBM said it would roll out the scheme - which has come into play in the US – across Europe but sources close to the vendor said it had been postponed.

“IBM wants to see if the programme has value in the US,” said a source within the vendor, who conceded, “it would not be inaccurate to say the Principles document has been delayed”,

 Microscope understands the true reason for the delay is because IBM is re-organising internally and dividing accounts between its sales force and partners for a January hand-over.

“IBM is preparing to de-stack accounts and hand them over to partners but it has to make sure they act like IBM, do account planning and sell all the brands in the portfolio,” said the source.

IBM has accounts that are too high-touch given the volume of business they transact directly with the customer.

Others have suggested that rival vendors may look to follow suit in the current climate, by harnessing the more cost effective relationships with resellers and integrators.