New IBM Solutions Offer Simplified Approach To Services For Businesses Of All Sizes
SAN FRANCISCO (February 16, 1998) – IBM* today announced IBM ServiceSuite*, which conveniently prepackages the most popular hardware and software support services for small and medium-sized businesses, as well as departments within larger enterprises. This solution, announced at IBM’s Business Partner Executive Conference, coverssystems built around any IBM server – enterprise servers, midrange systems, Netfinity* servers and personal systems** – including all components, disks, tapes, networks, clients and printers.
ServiceSuite also provides support services for selected hardware and software products from other vendors, subject to geographic availability. With this global solution, a growing set of product support services from IBM Global Services can be combined on one contract, with a consolidated invoice which includes all services.
ServiceSuite can complement the solutions offered by IBM Business Partners and assist them in supporting the services requirements of small and medium-sized businesses, as well as departments within larger enterprises. Additionally, ServiceSuite simplifies the sales process for IBM Business Partners, their remarketers, and the IBM sales force.
“This new solution allows customers to purchase a seamless set of maintenance and support offerings, designed to help them navigate through today’s complex IT environment,” said Yves Lozach, director of channels strategy, product support services, IBM Global Services. “It is part of a continuum of improvements to product support services instituted by IBM over the past year.”
In the United States, IBM today also announced IBM ServiceElect*. Designed primarily for large enterprises, ServiceElect makes it easier to craft a customized hardware and software services solution. Solutions similar to ServiceElect are available in all other regions in which IBM does business.
IBM ServiceSuite : A Flexible Solution for Customers and Business Partners
ServiceSuite comes in three packages: Base — providing hardware maintenance; Advanced — the Base package plus remote software support, which includes telephone and electronic operational and usage assistance, as well as notification of potential hardware and software problems; and, in some countries, Premium — the Advanced package plus on-site software support.
Customers with the Advanced or Premium package can further tailor their solutions by adding services from selectable options, subject to country availability, which may include: * warranty service upgrade — provides an enhanced level of service during the original warranty period * performance management — assists customers in managing peak periods and fine tuning their operating systems by providing performance utilization reports * LAN management — provides customers with remote support to help enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of their LANs * end user care — provides comprehensive end user telephone support to resolve problems whether they occur in the workstation, network or server.
ServiceSuite, which leverages new features of the IBM Business Partner agreement, will be available worldwide through IBM Business Partners, direct marketing and the IBM sales force. The customer has multiple options for contract duration, with attractive financing from IBM Global Financing.
IBM ServicesAssistant*, a new Internet-based pricing, proposal and contract generation tool, has been designed for ease of use by IBM’s and IBM Business Partners’ sales and administrative personnel. In addition, IBM will facilitate access to ServiceSuite information with Internet-based education and training.
“We are listening to our customers and our Business Partners and are making it simpler to do business with IBM. The comprehensive capability being announced today delivers simplified contracting, improved tools and streamlined processes, all at a competitive price,” said Lozach. “ServiceSuite will continually evolve with additional offerings to satisfy the services needs of the global and local marketplace.”
Source: IBM