Why Third-Party IBM Software Support Just Works

For many software asset managers and CTOs, IBM software support alternatives can look quite attractive – on paper at least. Lower contract costs, no enforced upgrade cycles and an agreement that places your business in charge of its own IT destiny are extremely compelling arguments in favour of sourcing support from a third party.

Reveal those temptations to your IBM account manager however, and expect to receive a hard-sell on the evils of software support alternatives. With annual maintenance contracts making up a large percentage of IBM’s annual revenue it is little surprise that they will do everything possible to keep you on board. But is there any truth to their arguments?

“Software support alternatives are a lot of hassle”

Third-party support is an unknown quantity – so your IBM account manager will suggest that dealing with them may be harder than you expect. But the reality is quite different.

Raising a software support call is actually easier than dealing with IBM. You typically have a single point of contact when raising a support call for instance. This means that you can log an issue, and the same engineer will see the issue through to completion – preventing the usual communications problems that arise when calls are passed from engineer to engineer.

Far from being hassle, a third-party IBM support contract streamlines contract management, simplifies the resolution process and cuts your costs in the process. Reducing your overheads and making it easier to report issues is the very opposite of “hassle”.

“Third-party providers can’t properly service your needs”

For legacy applications, often there is no need for 24x7x365 coverage – next business day may be more than adequate or perhaps you need some product expertise as part of the service. IBM are typically reluctant to offer these types of contracts – but an alternative software support provider is far more flexible in their operations. In the event that you do need complete coverage, a third-party will still be able to assist however.

The alternative software support service is built to suit your needs, not those of profit-hungry IBM shareholders. Third -party software support just “works”.

“3rd party providers lack our expertise”

Third-party IBM software support is not a job for IT generalists – which is why you will need a specialist partner to maintain your applications and servers. Just because a third-party support provider is not affiliated with IBM does not mean that their engineers are any less skilled.

To provide a professional service, these firms need to employ experienced product specialists. In the case of Origina, all engineers are former IBM engineers, so they know exactly what they are dealing with. Third-party software support just “works” when it comes to your older IBM applications.

“The savings may not be as significant as expected”

With the technical questions resolved, the CTO should be more than happy with the service offered by a third-party. But the CFO benefits too.

Reduced support contract costs begin from day one, helping to reduce the monthly maintenance bills immediately. Over time, the savings mount up, freeing cash for reinvestment elsewhere in the business. And the option to get off IBM’s perpetual software upgrade cycle creates even greater savings in future too.

Why alternative software support just “works”

Ultimately, alternative software support works because it benefits your business. With reduced maintenance bills, more efficient support frameworks, fully flexible contract terms and access to a team of IBM specialists, there’s absolutely no reason why a third-party service wouldn’t work.

To learn more about why Origina’s alternative software support provisions will work for your business, please get in touch.