LEXMARK U.S. CHANNEL WITHOUT A CHIEF ?

[Anonymous]

http://www.channelinsider.com/c/a/Printers/Lexmark-Channel-Without-a-Leader/      
Lexmark Channel Without a Leader    
Channel chief Sharon Brindley among layoffs executed by the printer vendor Friday. Sources say
no replacement has been named.Lexmark, the third largest printer
vendor, is without a channel chief following Friday’s layoff of Sharon
Brindley.As many as 50 sales and marketing people lost their jobs as a
result of a corporate restructuring, according to Kentucky local press
reports. Among them were several inside channel sales and support
people, including Brindley.

“[We] believe that we do have the
products for the marketplace and we believe with this restructuring, we
are in line with the market and will be successful,” Lexmark
spokesperson Kathy Hillyard told Kentucky.com.Attempts to reach Lexmark
for comment and confirmation of Brindley’s dismissal were not returned.
Sources say that not only is Brindley being removed, but Lexmark has
not named a new head of U.S. channels and OEM relationships. Scattered
details of the restructuring are surfacing on several social networks,
such as LinkedIn and Facebook.

If proven correct, Lexmark’s
channel program is essentially operating without anyone at the rudder.
John Linton is no longer head of solution provider channels, having
accepted another position within Lexmark last month. There’s no word
whether Ken Kerkhoff, who was Linton’s interim replacement, has been
affected by the restructuring.There are also indications that as much
as half of the distribution support team has also been eliminated as a
result of the restructuring.

Sources say Lexmark took steps
several months ago to eliminate much of its channel inside sales and
technical support team. Those functions were outsourced to a company in
Cebu, Philippines.Brindley took over Lexmark’s U.S. channels and
alliances in 2006. She’s been cited as one of the channel’s most
influential executives by trade publications. While credited as an
effective and capable channel leader, her tenure was marked by a
consistent decline in Lexmark’s market position and channel ratings.

Attempts to reach Brindley for comment were unsuccessful.
Hampering
Lexmark’s performance was been its deep ties to Dell, which white
labels many Lexmark printer products and underlying technologies. At
one point, as much as 10 percent of Lexmark’s total revenues came from
Dell sales. The company has also faced stiff direct and channel
competition from market leaders Hewlett-Packard and Xerox.A sluggish
Dell relationship and declines in laser and inkjet printer sales
resulted in a 10 percent fall in 2007 revenue, analysts say.

[Author]

November 24, 2008 at 11:29 AM