Re: In conclusion: IBM Spin Doctors on AS/400 Marketing -- MIDRANGE-L

Al
This  certainly has  proved an interesting thread to follow.

Summary Observation:
If you  tie your  quest together  with John Carr's "The Graying COMMON"
there is  a message of future interest and perhaps a pointer towards
survival of this  wonderful product.

A message here is that people are important.  As important as growing the
machine install base and selling new systems[accounts].

Who are the  Execs  that are  leaving?
Are there specific departments or locations that  at hit?

Glenn
====================================
At 03:58 PM 12/3/97 +0000, you wrote:
>Hi,
>
>This is really an open letter to IBM Rochester/Somers, with a   cc: to
>midrange-l.  I have reversed the addresses for reasons that will become
>obvious below. 
>
>Well, it's been over two months since I made my comments at Soundoff about
>the lack of AS/400 marketing communications and AS/400 Education.  (These
>comments are available electronically, but I have NO intention of
>broadcasting them publically.)  It's fair to say that some at IBM were
>unhappy with my Soundoff comments, yet others were happy with my comments.
>
>Many unhappy IBM execs responded by indicating that the only people who
>held this opinion were consultants.  Whereas, it is plausible that this
>might be true, however I AM OF THE OPINION that anyone who holds that
>belief has an IQ so low that when you square it, you get a lower number.
>On the otherhand, maybe I am a cretin (I know of an IBM VP who thought so,
>but he's gone now!), and that everyone else is all correct.  After all, it
>was the same group of people who told me I was 'all wrong about V3R1'.  (It
>would be fair to note that I understand more about the IBM marketing and
>education processes now, that I did at Soundoff, but I want this work to be
>reflective of the perception in the marketplace today.  I may be commenting
>on these things in the future.)
>
>Never the less, my note to Midrange-L spawned about 115 responses.  As many
>of you have asked, I have retained all of these responses. (I eliminated
>irrelevant responses and redundant at-a-boys.... )  
>
>I am looking for an IBM volunteer to compile a summary of the responses.  I
>ask for an IBM volunteer, because there are many IBM execs with a lot of
>time on their hands now, given the fact that they have already been
>(informally) told that they will be pink slipped on Dec 9.  These execs are
>looking for other jobs within the corporation, and a good analytical piece
>of work might help their job hunting.  (Although many to-be-pink-slipped
>IBMers are working very hard at wrapping up projects [*WARPSPEED], there
>are many others who are expending less than a full effort [*IMPULSEPOWER]
>and have time on their hands.  I am looking for a volunteer, with the
>backing of the AS/400 Division (or whatever it's called today).  Don't get
>me wrong, there could also be an remaining IBMer who could champion this
>cause, and delegate the work; never-the-less this a busy time at IBM.  (
>(SOAPBOX(*ON) It's fourth quarter, and systems are FINALLY selling.
>However the timing of our announcements is the subject of a different note.
> SOAPBOX(*OFF) ).
>
>So, I'm calling IBMers to respond this week, with AS/400 Division backing.
>If no one comes forward, I will be looking for non-IBMers.  This raw data
>is volatile (both good and bad), and I only intend to release it to someone
>whom I considered responsible and qualified.  (The decision of the judges
>are final.)
>
>Lacking an IBM volunteer (who I consider would be a relatively impartial
>individual, possibly biased to IBM), I will then be looking for a non-IBM
>volunteer (who plausibly would be less favorably inclined to IBM).  (SO
>IBM, HERE'S YOUR CHANCE, DON'T BLOW IT.)
>
>Regardless of who does the work, I plan to audit the results.  If I find
>the results to be innacurate, I don't know what I'll do, however I would be
>willing to share those results with anyone IBMer/non-IBMer with a need to
>know basis.  (The decisions of the judges is final.)
>
>I have blind-copied this letter to a list of IBMers.  My intent was not to
>single out any specific IBMers, because this is a Divisional problem as
>opposed to an individual problem.  Trust me my bcc: is long enough that
>someone at IBM should care and pick up the work (assuming that there's
>someone left who cares).  If there's no IBM response, I will seek a
>non-IBMer and portions my bcc: list will make it to next week's a cc: list.
>
>Thank you for your attention and support.
>
>Al
>
>
>
>
>Al Barsa, Jr.
>Barsa Consulting, LLC
>400 > 390
>
>Phone: 914-251-9400
>Fax:   914-251-9406
>
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>
Glenn

Glenn Ericson      � 1997 all rights reserved
Ph 718 898 9805 Fax 718 446 1150
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