Why IBM sales critters lead with DB2 and practically ignore IDS unless its an IDS customer...

Ok, To be fair, if a business partner like Ron or Lester or Paul (Art too), IDS becomes a viable option because the BP will tend to lead the sale. In situations where its an IBM sales team lead deal and a database is required, the story gets a bit cloudy. If the customer asks about Oracle, Oracle is presented. Otherwise DB2. If all else fails, then maybe mention IDS. This isn't by accident, but by design. Remember, IBM sells Oracle and Oracle services, so IBM's client rep still wins the deal and makes money. The sales critter likes to take the path of least resistance so if the customer asks about a product, that will be the path of least resistance. DB2 is next, because the local sales team has DB2 skills. All of the IT Specialists are certified (or should be certified) on DB2. There are very few IT Specialists that know IDS. Local sales teams like to count on their local resources. If there isn't a local resource, then there is risk. Having to fly someone in from another city, or they have a 4 hour drive, means that there is a gap in customer support. Client teams know that there is a risk and the customer becomes skeptical of the deal. Read that this increases the resistance level of the deal. AND SALES CRITTERS LIKE THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE. Bottom line, unless you have a local resource that you can count on to support the customer. Don't push the product. To put it in terms that you may understand... Would you buy a car that you had to drive 6 hours each way to the *only* authorized repair center in your area, or would you purchase a car from an authorized dealer who is within 30 miles (1/2 hour) drive from your house? So, how do you get a local IDS certified IT Specialist in your neck of the woods? You incent the FLMs by writing it in to their PBCs. Jerry K, et al, have known this for a couple of years now. Yet it has never happened. Maybe it slipped through the cracks because Jerry K. doesn't control the S&D team's PBCs and Alyse P hasn't found the time, or forgot to write it down on a "todo" list while she's globe trotting. Ya see, there is no single silver bullet. Just a lot of "little" things that need to get done. But this is hard to do at IBM. For every request, you meet a lot of resistance because you're asking for change. IBMers don't like change. They like their 9-5 life that doesn't change. They like being a cog in the wheel. Never having to think for themselves. (OF course I'm talking about sales support, and middle management. I'm not talking about R&D and product development.) But hey! What do I know? Its not like I experienced this first hand or anything. -G _________________________________________________________________ See what people are saying about Windows Live. Check out featured posts. http://www.windowslive.com/connect?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_connect2_082008