From direct to hybrid marketing: a new IBM go‐to‐market model

In the 1980s, a profound change in the information technology (IT) market forced IBM to modify the organisation and management of its selling structure. There was only an internal sales channel at first and IBM had interactive relationships with individual customers. The process of change began when the number of customers increased and their average size decreased. IBM began to support its internal channel of sales representatives with an external channel of business partners for the distribution of high volume products. Having to face new problems, like business partner loyalty and the loss of market control, IBM has decided to adopt, as a general strategy, a new go‐to‐market model called the hybrid model. By mixing and coordinating direct activities, such as mailings, phone calls and tele‐coverage, with commercial business partner actions and operations, IBM now has a new competitive advantage.