IBM launches “Netfinity Direct” to expand purchase and support options for Netfinity servers
Drives further efficiencies in its advanced fulfillment initiative
SOMERS, NY (June 05, 1998) – IBM today announced Netfinity Direct, an enterprise solution for qualified customers who require IBM premium service and support and a direct fulfillment option from IBM. Netfinity Direct offers some of the same fulfullment and product support options for Netfinity as those provided for other enterprise servers such as RS/6000 and AS/400.
IBM also announced an expansion of its Advanced Fulfillment Initiative (AFI) to further reduce reseller channel inventories and deliver more aggressive pricing for all Personal Systems products, while increasing the speed of delivery to customers.
Netfinity Direct offers an acquisition and support alternative for end-users who rely on Intel-based servers for their complex, mission-critical applications. Enterprise customers are rapidly deploying Microsoft Windows NT servers into their operations, and ensuring the reliability, security and productivity of their applications is essential. IBM in the last year has committed significant resources — including those in development, sales, service and support — to Netfinity. By offering the same level of support as is provided RS/6000 and AS/400 products, IBM recognizes the growing importance of Netfinity to the enterprise. Netfinity Direct is being launched in the U.S. and will be phased in across all geographies.
Depending on their requirements, customers may now qualify to have Netfinity fulfilled and supported by IBM directly or continue to have these offerings delivered by an IBM reseller.
“IBM firmly believes that our Business Partners provide the best Netfinity solutions for the majority of customers, including highly qualified, comprehensive and cost-effective service and support,” said David Thomas, senior vice president and group executive, IBM Personal Systems Group. “However, we are also determined to satisfy the needs of those customers who consider a direct relationship with their server vendor to be critical to their enterprise computing needs.”
IBM is also expanding its Advanced Fulfillment Initiative to further reduce channel inventories, deliver more competitive prices, and increase the availability of IBM products for its channel partners. The enhancements include changes to channel terms and conditions and a reduction in overall channel distribution costs.
Announced last September, AFI is a broad set of steps aimed at streamlining how IBM Personal Systems products are designed, manufactured and distributed to reduce costs, deliver more competitive prices and simplify the buying experience for IBM products. Built around channel assembly — which IBM pioneered more than two years ago to enable IBM resellers to custom-configure IBM personal systems products to customer specifications — AFI continues to deliver more competitive prices for all IBM Personal Systems products.
With this latest step, IBM continues to build a just-in-time inventory replenishment system aimed at reducing finished product inventories and building the industry’s most price-competitive distribution model.
Source: IBM