100 Years? Wow. How does a company stay in business and remain an innovative market leader for that long? Ask IBM. Celebrating its centennial year, IBM has changed technology, one year at a time. After watching the 100×100 video, you will truly be amazed with all the accomplishments this company has earned, I know I was! The company opened their doors in 1911 as the Computing Tabulating Recording Company (C-T-R); today International Business Machines (IBM) employs nearly 400,000 people worldwide. Amazingly enough, this vast number does not even begin to show the full impact IBM has on employment in the industry. It excludes people dependent on IBM for their businesses, like external reseller, Retail Tech. We take great pride in our relationship with IBM.
While Point of Sale is only a small facet of total sales for the technology giant, resellers rely on this small piece to continue to be lucrative and successful. This portion of their business began in early 1970s; at that time, IBM introduced the first supermarket checkout station for grocers. Using “glass and prisms, lenses and a laser” to read product prices in the early days; to think people can now scan their own groceries with the IBM Self-Checkout system is hard to fathom! According to a 2009 Financial Analysis of the Industry Market share for POS Hardware, IBM continues to not only rule the world of grocery, but also retail.
1. IBM installs 36% of all point of sale hardware in supermarkets, more than any other type of hardware.
2. Similarly, IBM dominates the retail industry. 67% of the Department store industry utilizes IBM point of sale hardware; the next leader, NCR holds just 25% of the market.
America trusts this brand. Whether it is point of sale systems, software, or other services; there is a legitimate reason why IBM is the 20th largest company in the world.
Their value of time is unmatched. It is fair to say that other technology companies do not have the tenacity and experience to get through some tough economic times. IBM has not only shown resilience through economic strife like The Great Depression, but the company has overcome many potential failures such as almost closing their doors in the early 90’s.
IBM has seen it all. They have watched competitors come and go, and have learned how to build superior technology despite increasing market competition. Happy Birthday IBM, we are proud to be your partner!
Click Here to subscribe to the TechTOPICKS blog!
