HP helps partners drive profitability

HP hasannounced enhancements to its flagship PartnerOne program, helping HP partners to accelerate growth and profitability, while strengthening their competitive differentiation in the market.

Changes to the program will be effective Nov. 1, 2013.

The newly simplified program will focus on a simple structure that offers a predictable and profitable compensation model. This includes streamlined certification requirements spanning all regions and multiple HP business units, including HP Enterprise Group, HP Software, and HP Printing and Personal Systems.

Partners such as PCM, Inc.—a leading technology solutions provider to small and medium sized businesses, midmarket and enterprise customers, government and educational institutions, and individual consumers—are enthusiastically anticipating the arrival of new program elements that deliver a consistent experience and make it easier to purchase, sell and grow profitably with HP.

“The enhancements to HP PartnerOne will allow PCM, Inc., to plan our investments and better determine accurate rebate projections when selling the HP portfolio,” said Adam Shaffer, senior vice president, Marketing, PCM. “This new model provides PCM the visibility it needs to invest in resources, solutions and demand generation to grow our HP business.”

Consistent compensation model increases partner profitability
HP will focus the HP PartnerOne compensation model on three key areas to help partners drive incremental revenue and increase profitability.
· “Core Compensation” aligned to membership status
· Growth in new business revenue opportunities
· Targeted products and services sales incentives

These changes expand on the “Core Compensation” enhancements rolled out in May 2013, when HP removed gates and caps, enabling qualifying partners to begin earning rebates from their first sale and giving them access to unlimited earning potential.

Predictable membership structure provides path for growth
HP is introducing new HP PartnerOne membership levels—Platinum, Gold, Silver and Business Partner—which will be consistent across HP business units and available in all regions. This new structure offers greater partner differentiation and is simpler and more intuitive for end customers. Partners also will find it easier to identify opportunities and differentiate their businesses in the marketplace.

As an added benefit for partners, HP will actively brand the highest partnership levels in end-user customer marketing campaigns.

New certification process simplifies specialization requirements
HP has streamlined its certification process to make it easier for partners to identify and complete the training needed to achieve product and solution Specializations. For example, the number of technical certifications in the HP Enterprise Group has been reduced from 44 to 22. HP’s sales and technical certifications are designed to create world-class experts who can effectively sell and architect the most advanced solutions to deliver the “new style of IT” to HP customers.

The new process also maintains HP’s high standards of competency for each Specialization and recognizes and builds upon partners’ existing certification investments.

“Partner success is the foundation of HP’s relationship with the channel community, and our programs must evolve to help partners better serve our mutual customers,” said Todd Bradley, executive vice president, Strategic Growth Initiatives, HP. “HP PartnerOne continues to lead the industry by offering partners predictability, simplicity and profitability to allow more partners to increase revenue, earn greater rewards and grow their business with HP.”