IBM Delivers Innovation Directly to Mid-sized Customers

- Mobile Solutions Kiosk to enhance capabilities of mid-sized customers to navigate the breadth of IBM solutions -
Chiam Yat Seng, General Manager, General Business, IBM Malaysia, (on the left) and Ou Shian Waei, Managing Director of IBM Malaysia, stepping into the Mobile Solution Kiosk.

Petaling Jaya, 3 April, 2008 – IBM reaffirmed its commitment to the mid-sized clients with the launching of IBM Express Advantage Mobile Solutions Kiosk, an expansion of its Express Advantage program for mid-sized businesses yesterday.

The Mobile Solution Kiosk is an initiative aimed at bringing to the mid-sized businesses customised solutions to address specific pain points and growth needs. Bundled as a ‘moving solutions clinic’ the Express Advantage coach will visit various industrial areas carrying with it simple and easy to implement solutions priced and designed for medium-sized businesses. The bus will begin its journey on 2 April in Kuala Lumpur and carry on for a duration of one month. Some of the early destinations include Kepong, Cheras, Kelana Jaya, Subang and Shah Alam.

This Mobile Solutions Kiosk brings directly to the customer a comprehensive line of offerings, including hardware, software and services – literally to their door-steps. Through this effort IBM is making it easier for mid-sized companies to innovate for growth.

This initiative is also part of the plan towards improving IBM’s focus on the mid-market channel. In early 2007, IBM studied its potential customer base and learned that there are very real differences between its enterprise and its mid-market customers. The study revealed that mid-market companies prefer to focus on complete solutions, and are more likely to work with solution providers to develop those solutions. In response to the mid-markets needs, IBM is dividing its focus to recognize the different wants and needs and buying behaviors of different sets of customers.


Ou Shian Waei, Managing Director of IBM Malaysia (on the left) and Chiam Yat Seng, General Manager, General Business, IBM Malaysia, inside the Mobile Solution Kiosk.

For the mid-market segment, IBM has skewed its marketing resources towards developing mid-market customers. This includes increasing marketing dollars targeting such customers to US$ 100 million worldwide, up about 25 percent over last year. IBM has also shifted its telecoverage resources to focus on mid-market customers allowing such customers to have a defined relationship with an existing and stable telecoverage individual. Each telecoverage individual will have his or her own defined set of 100 to 125 accounts.

In addition, IBM has also created a new role, the mid-market territory sales rep, which is focused exclusively on midrange accounts who will work as a team with the telecoverage reps to develop midrange opportunities for IBM, all or nearly all of which will be handed to solution providers.

“This new model recognizes differences in buyer preferences for both the mid-market and the enterprise clients. This in turn provides greater clarity of roles and makes it easier for IBM to focus on business across both segments. At any time, we will be able to channel dedicated resources with face to face attention and improved coverage to our mid-market customers” said Chiam Yat Seng, General Manager, General Business, IBM Malaysia.

“This latest evolution of Express Advantage is a reaffirmation of IBM being accessible, approachable and affordable to the mid-market customers. The market is beginning to transform their business models innovatively and IBM is able to provide enterprise solutions customized and priced with financing to free up capital for mid-market customers in Malaysia,” continued Chiam.

IBM Express Advantage combines a comprehensive set of mid-market offerings, Business Partner resources and customer experience capabilities to create a unified, end to end approach to helping mid-market companies innovate and grow. In February 2007, IBM announced a total of 10 new and enhanced Express Advantage systems and software offerings to complement its existing portfolio of industry leading mid-market Express offerings. The Express Advantage program ensures mid-sized businesses have simple and efficient access to the resources they need allowing them to focus on innovation and growth.