IBM hunts for SMB customers with desktop management services

IBM Global Services announced a new suite of managed desktop services for medium-sized companies, bringing the same on demand computing opportunities to smaller firms that are available to larger enterprises. The new IBM Desktop Management Services involve an IBM server installed locally but managed remotely. The service includes virus protection, anti-spam solutions, image management, and automatic backup, but IBM Global Services international desktop services manager Dale Moegling points out the service is more than just bundled desktop management products. "Most competitors are selling tools; we're selling a service solution," he says. "There's no one else providing such services on a price-per-seat basis. That's right in line with our on demand strategy."

IBM Global Services small and medium business director Beth Feeney says IBM has been making strong headway in the lower end of the market, increasing its revenue from that segment 14 percent year-over-year for the first quarter of 2004. Moegling says smaller companies do not have the same software and personnel resources to address desktop management issues the way large enterprises do, but that IBM can apply its technology effectively and efficiently in the medium-sized market. Customers pay $40 per seat per month for the service and can choose to deploy a subset of services for less money. Among the unique benefits of the service is the ability to centrally manage and back up desktop images. PCs switched between users can be easily refitted with the particular user's applications and files, for instance. Moegling also says IBM will provide customers with the latest anti-virus definitions, even before they are released publicly.

Copyright 2004 INFORMATION, INC.