Highlights. Global Information Technology Provider. The Challenges

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1 CASE STUDY - IBM About IBM: IBM Tivoli Netcool Software consolidates and manages events across large, complex heterogeneous environments for industry leading enterprise, service provider and government organizations. For more information, visit Highlights Industry Global Information Technology Provider The Challenges SMEs running on empty Demonstrating full value Educating the masses Making a lasting impressionn Results Gained 4 large customers with the use of virtual labs SMEs focus on new products Transfer of knowledge from SMEs to sales teams, partners and IT specialists

2 IBM Enhances the Impact of Sales Engineers with Hatsize Virtual labs extend the reach of Global IBM Specialists, allowing these Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to focus on product innovation and advanced sales support The Challenges Sales cycle efficiency pressures The primary problem I had as a sales engineer was there was not enough time to do what I needed to do with every customer. If every sales person had their way, I would be at every client meeting face-to-face, and every trial of software would be done on-site for a week or so. Neither of these scenarios were possible. Meetings were done remotely but, until I began using these virtual labs, a true proof of concept could not be done remotely. - (Sr. Sales Engineer, Tivoli Netcool Software - IBM) SMEs running on empty 7 a.m. flight - Prior to Hatsize virtual labs, an IBM SME got on a plane and flew across their sales region to meet with a major hospital client. At the meeting, the hospital team was comprised of senior operations, IT and engineering staff. The SME began the session by walking the client team through a 1-hour presentation, explaining the features and benefits of a new release of complex technology, Tivoli Netcool Software. Following the presentation and a 2-hour demo of Tivoli, he answered client questions, wrapped up the meeting, and headed directly to the airport and back home. This was a typical full-day client demo for the SME. Spending this face-to-face time is expensive and is not realistic for every prospective client situation. SMEs need to maximize their impact on closing key client accounts, while still passing on their expertise to employees and partners. Another alternative to these on-site client meetings is to bring customers to an IBM tech center where a great deal of time and energy is spent providing hands-on training, particularly if the client does not have the hardware available in-house. This is effective for IBM as it centralizes resources, but it is a significant expense (both in time and dollars) for the client. Furthermore, neither the on-site nor tech center scenario allow for effective hands-on support and follow-up. Demonstrating full value Hotel night #4 When a client wanted to run a trial of a new IBM software platform, they needed a specialist on-site to educate their staff, help their IT team with installation, run test scenarios, and fully communicate the value IBM s advanced technology could bring to the client s company. Often, to help the client make a decision of whether or not to invest in the software, a live comparison with other software options and competitor offerings was preferred. At the same time, it was not clear whether this client was actually ready to make a purchase or was simply testing the waters. Yet, the SME was sent to the client s location, where he spent a week on-site with the customer. Many SMEs can spend a quarter to a third of their work time (or more) on the road. When faced with the complexity of advanced software and hardware products, customers making these major purchases that require installation and configuration cannot be left to figure out the software on their own, or given a simple CD. With all of the moving parts, intricacy and large purchasing cost, these customers require support. Meanwhile, those with the knowledge (SMEs) at IBM must be learning new, innovative products and staying ahead of the competition, so it is a struggle to find a solution that frees up the SME s time while supporting clients so they are able to make smart business decisions.

3 It s pretty easy to show IBM products differentiators in a virtual lab. A good engineer who s going to buy a half million dollars worth of IBM software who s going to have to use it and live with it will want to dig down, ask lots of questions, and really get a hands-on advanced demonstration. Once they ve experienced this, they really sit up and say, I ve got to have this!. (Sr. Sales Engineer, Tivoli Netcool Software - IBM) The Challenges (Con t) Educating the masses Week long conference An SME at IBM returned from a week at a client site and was under pressure to focus on IBM s newest software to be released. But, when he looked at his calendar, he realized he would spend the following week at Pulse IBM s service management event and it would be demanding. The conference meant he would be required to spend at least 8 hours a day presenting, educating and managing hands-on labs and discussing Tivoli Netcool Software s new features and capabilities while answering questions from those who know the product best to those who have never used it. Prior to Hatsize, these types of conferences were expensive but essential in getting fresh information about Tivoli to a large captive audience. With popular products and a large following, IBM must educate a massive number of users but has struggled with how to provide adequate training to a large group with different backgrounds, experiences and software knowledge. It is important that users and potential users are properly educated to ensure they understand the software differentiators between IBM products and those of the competitors. If the software is not properly understood, a prospect may be deterred from using it. Often times in the past, IBM was reliant on conferences to get as many people as possible in one room to educate these prospects and customers, which led to a lack of one-on-one training and a struggle to highlight and focus on aspects of the software that would relieve pain points for certain customers. Making a lasting impression Frustrated customer call - The SME at IBM who just returned from the week-long Pulse conference had not been able to focus on the new product that he would need to train partners and IT specialists on. Instead, he was preparing to meet with a prospect for a day long session focusing on Tivoli Netcool Software. A month following this successful session when the SME installed a proof of concept (PoC) trial for the client, walked them through the tool and then left the prospect to try it out on their own time, the SME received a call from the prospect who had not touched the PoC in a month and was frustrated trying to remember how to use the complex rpoc (Remote Proof of Concept) is an online proof of concept that demonstrates the functionality of hardware and software within a lab environment, similar to what the customer would experience at their own site. rpoc allows customers to explore the benefits of software and hardware without the hassle of a live on-site PoC. rpoc allows customers to control their software and hardware experience with help from experts when required. software. The SME at IBM had to determine how best to move forward would he travel back for another day long session or would the client travel to the IBM tech center? IBM recognized the need for a better solution, one where they can determine who is really using the hardware and software trials and specifically what they are struggling with, so that IT specialists and the sales team can focus on these aspects and truly support the client throughout the process, long before the client gets frustrated or forgets about IBM s solution.

4 The Solution In order to empower their customers, partners and SMEs, IBM teams up with Hatsize to use the Enterprise Solution to spread their expertise, globally. Sharing global expertise, today Before the use of Hatsize, a customer could have waited for weeks to get a PoC on-site. Not only would this take time, but the resources required were difficult to bring together. Today, the SMEs mentioned above get calls from customers who ar interested in the newest version of Tivoli Netcool Software. The SMEs are able to show the software to the customer within 24 hours. Once the software is in the customer s hands, the sales team can lead the client through the software, training them virtually, and the environment can be reset if the customer makes an unrecoverable change. For IBM, this means they can allow the customers to play with the software, hands-on, while IBM watches what they are doing and monitors any difficulties. This allows IBM to get the customers involved and find out if they understand the tool, where they are struggling and whether they are going to make a purchase. THE HATSIZE IMPACT: Hands-on training experience Improved partner education Freedom for SMEs Educated sales team Shorter, virtual sales cycle Partners - the customer s knowledge resource Now that IBM s advanced technology SMEs no longer have to be physically present at every sales call and face-to-face client meeting, they are able to focus on learning about IBM s newest products while also supporting key sales accounts and partners. IBM knows that their partners have a great deal of experience in production rollouts and want to support them in that role. While the industry-leading partners work directly with their customers, IBM develops and delivers the software, ensures it works, and implements discovery sessions. With Hatsize, IBM can ensure their partners are fully-trained and have what they need to effectively sell to, and support, their customers and users. Freedom for SMEs IBM SMEs have more time to focus on supporting the sales cycle for newly-released advanced hardware and software technology. With the ever-increasing speed of product release schedules, and a limited number of product experts, SMEs are increasingly challenged to stay ahead of the learning curve. With the Hatsize Enterprise Solution, IBM no longer is required to have personnel at every client site to present, demonstrate and trial the technology. So now, an SME can support the sales cycle through virtual lab environments, freeing up their time to focus on product education and testing. Hatsize gives SMEs at IBM the ability to transfer their knowledge to other people, iving the SMEs more time to learn other products. IBM product differentiators IBM SMEs can now focus on the product differentiators, showing customers and prospects what differentiates the IBM products from those of the competitors. The customer can express what aspects of the software they want to see and an IBM specialist can come back and say well we can show you more than just that while walking the client through the software s new or existing capabilities that would be true selling points, especially as a differentiator compared to other products. IBM SMEs can go over all of the traits that not just IBM but all the competitors are capable of as well, but then can focus on the differentiating factors. When a sales engineer gives a virtual lab-driven presentation of one of our products, this allows a presenter to emphasize the features that are differentiators, and also point out what features are not differentiators with our competitors. (Sr. Sales Engineer, Tivoli Netcool Software - IBM)

5 The Results IBM teams up with Hatsize to use the Enterprise Solution to spread their expertise, globally. Gained 4 large customers with the use of virtual labs SMEs focus on new products Transfer of knowledge from SMEs to sales teams, partners and IT specialists Success Components The Solution Features The Environment Presence detector Windows Server 2003 Linux (CentOS, RHEL & Fedora) Solaris 10 x86 Live collaboration tools Netcool, Precision, ITNM, TBSM, OMNIbus Heterogeneous lab environment VMware Many of the world s most innovative technology companies have already chosen Hatsize online virtual labs to take their complex hardware and software products to market. Our customizable Hatsize system has removed the barriers inherent in accessing traditional labs. We help technology communities to easily connect and efficiently test, train, demo, trial and collaborate in an advanced on-demand computing environment. Hatsize applies inventive thinking and rare technical capability to every problem we solve. Visit to find out more. For more information, please contact us at: th Street SW Calgary, AB Canada T2R 1M1 Phone: info@hatsize.com