'We've put the customer at the centre' - HP exec on the vendor's new partner programme
New programme go live for resellers in November and replace Partner First
HP Inc has announced a new partner programme which it says will "put the customer at the centre" and focus more on digital routes to market.
The new programme, named HP Amplify, was revealed today and will go live globally for resellers in November. Retail partners will follow next year.
Speaking to CRN, HP's global head of route-to-market Luciana Broggi said the programme removes complexities for partners and allows them to profit more from modern ways of selling.
"Partner First is still a very good programme in my eyes, but the reason we decided to create a new one is because the world is accelerating and we need to a programme that is more dynamic, more based on digital transformation, but also simpler and more consistent across the world," she said.
"Partners are also coming out from a single role, so we have partners that are transactional and contractual, that are traditional and online.
"So we really need a programme that is much more consistent and is one programme with a reduced number of targets and compensation model."
The new programme will be split into two strands: Synergy and Power.
HP said that the Synergy tier is "the foundational track", while Power is for partners that invest in a deeper collaboration with HP.
"In Power, partners demonstrate deeper collaboration with HP and see increased return on their investment in the form of higher rewards, data insights, sales and tech resources, and marketing support that drives new sales and renewals," HP said in its press material.
Broggi added that HP has put the end customer at the centre of the programme.
"Some people tell us it's a little controversial, but we've decided to put the customer at the centre of the programme," she said.
"Normally when we talk about channel programmes we put the partner at the centre, but we believe that the only way to really grow the business together is to maximise the customer experience.
"The only way to do that is to make sure we have an ecosystem that is motivated to work together and happy about the programmes we have. We think that by putting the customer at the centre we automatically deliver for our channel."
HP's UK boss George Brasher said that the announcement is particularly important for the UK market, where 90 per cent of the vendor's business goes through the channel.
"We're very proud of that fact, so it's about how we create an ecosystem between HP and the partners to serve that customers best.
"Customers are changing how they're buying and doing it in a much more digital way. It's definitely happening now millennials are the largest part of the work population. They are our customers today and they want a different experience, so unless we create that with the partners we're going to have challenges."