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HP Launches Enhanced Channel-Partner Programs

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Today at HP Reinvent, the company’s largest global partner event, HP Inc. launched new channel-partner programs designed to help partners grow, including a new financing program, learning certification, and the newly merged HP Sales Central.

HP noted that the technology sales channel is undergoing a dramatic shift as consumer and commercial buying habits evolve. Aimed at driving partner growth in 2020 and beyond, the company shared its strategy for navigating the dramatic shifts taking place and arming partners with the inspiration, knowledge, and expertise to optimize revenue, streamline costs, and future-proof their businesses.

Jos Brenkel, Global Head of Sales and Strategy at HP Inc., commented:  “The digital transformation of our global economy is impacting all facets of business on a global scale from jobs, to trade policies to supply chains. Our commitment to take purposeful action is unwavering – preparing ourselves, our partners and our customers for what’s coming next.”

To aid partners to quickly tap into the power of social selling, HP now offers partners the option of leveraging Marketing Development Funds to contract LinkedIn Sales Navigators. With LinkedIn Sales Navigator, partners can target the right buyers, leverage key insights, and personalize outreach. Partners are encouraged to contact ssactivation@hp.com for additional details.

Services-Led Business Model

Customers today are seeking services-led, non-linear buying experiences, and HP is poised to help its partners transition to these evolving sales models. Consumer and commercial customers alike are moving quickly towards a sharing economy and consuming products in completely different ways, which require a shift towards outcome-based or consumption-driven models.

HP today introduced a number of infrastructure improvements it says are optimized for services-led business models through the channel. Enhancements include: HP branded finance solutions, specialized training, insights on buying behavior and online resources.

HP Integrated Financial Solutions

As the industry increasingly moves to XaaS (Everything-as-a-Service), leasing and financing is said to underpin HP’s approach to services-led selling. Today the company introduced HP Integrated Financial Solutions, HP’s branded finance solution for providing partners with more flexibility to quickly grow their services-based business and help ensure long-term, recurring revenue.

HP Integrated Financial Solutions may provide options such as instant credit approval, mobile apps, automated document management, and electronic signature and invoicing to speed and enhance the customer experience. HP will be rolling out the program over the coming months, working in partnership with some of the world’s leading finance-solution providers.

WISE for Channel

To further aid its partner ecosystem, HP recently launched the WISE for Channel platform, which is said to make it easier to access technical information, training, how-to videos, service manuals and advisories. Immediately available via the Partner First portal, the WISE for Channel mobile-ready platform is said to include a highly intuitive search capability and easy-access to product specific support videos.

Best-In-Class Training

Based on partner feedback, HP says it streamlined HP University with a number of enhancements. Optimized to empower and equip HP’s growing number of partners, HP says it has evolved its  training and certification models to enable outcome-based strategic selling and better equip partners to develop and grow their services business and recurring revenue stream.

Highlights include:

  • New adaptive learning approach to certifications across PC, Print, and Supplies.
  • Soft skills modules including Strategic Solution Selling, Hunting and Storytelling.
  • Virtual and hands-on content workshops and customized learning paths.

HP Sales Central

To enable a more seamless selling experience, HP announced the merger of HP’s Sales Central (HPSC) and Partner First portals into a single, unified experience, providing partners around the world with immediate access to HP materials and a true “click one and done” experience.

The portal, which will now be under the HP Sales Central Umbrella, also features a highly intuitive presentation builder and my workspace personalization capabilities.

One of the most interactive new additions to HPSC is a new chatbot capability acting as an AI conversational assistant. The HP Chatbot provides answers to any queries related to an HP product search for more than 80,000 active SKUs across the HP portfolio, allowing partners to navigate products much more quickly, returning between 35-55 minutes per week.

HP will also roll out a new Gamification-as-a-Service feature, available on both the mobile and desktop versions of HP Sales Central. The new program encourages users to participate in an interactive learning environment complemented with challenges, competitions, rewards, recognition and a virtual store to redeem program points. The unified site will launch in mid-April.

Diversity and Inclusion Partner Pledge

HP states that As the industry navigates constantly changing social and cultural environments, it remains strongly committed to diversity and inclusion (D&I). It states that diversity leads to stronger teams, more significant innovation, and better products and services.

At HP Reinvent, not only will there be a session devoted to how partners can take action on increasing D&I in their workplace, partners will also have the opportunity to sign the ‘D&I Pledge’ – including an honest assessment of their current state, and a follow-on training session on how to create and deploy a D&I plan in their company, and, in 12 months, re-take the assessment to measure their efforts and improvements.

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