Our 250,000 channel partners deliver eighty percent of our global sales, functioning as an independent extension of HP. We deliver value to partners, so partners can deliver value to customers. The execution is complex, but the driving idea is as simple, and powerful, as that.

A focus on delivering value and building loyalty

Customers in every industry are transforming their business models in response to disruptive market conditions, IT innovation, and changing consumer behaviors. IT organizations are increasingly integral to strategic business direction. For partners, great opportunity lies in understanding customers’ challenges, and helping IT teams to provide not just infrastructure but business solutions.

HP Partner First: unlocking opportunity at every level

Some channel partners are farther along on solutions-first selling than others. We have designed our new Partner First program to meet partners where they are on this journey—meeting immediate business needs while making new opportunities available to encourage future growth.

The program features three tracks: Transactional, Value and Alliance, and OEM. The Transactional track is helpful for volume sellers and small companies that don’t have a large service business. The Value track is optimized for VARS moving toward services; it features training and benefits along the road to solutions selling. The Alliance track focuses more on ISVs, and on partners adding value in emerging categories such as immersive computing and 3D printing.

In all three Partner First tracks we are making it easier for partners to access a wealth of streamlined training programs, tools, and processes for speed and consistency across markets and geographies. We are committed to being first in speed and agility, first in simple and consistent operations, and, as a result, first in driving partner growth and profitability.

Building relevant solutions for today, tomorrow and beyond

We started strong with the Partner Navigator program, ensuring a smooth transition in the separation of HPE and HP. We’ve moved to a variable cost model, buying key services as we need them to build current and relevant experiences for our customers. This more cost-effective and dynamic approach is an example of the IT best practices we encourage partners to embrace, on behalf of their customers. It’s completely transforming the way we interact with the channel in areas such as pricing, e-business, channel data collection and predictive analysis.

The global channel infrastructure is complex, but the formula is simple: speed plus simplicity equals greater sales. Our goal is to enable our partners’ success, delivering innovative and valuable solutions, and setting the stage for a profitable future where we will grow and thrive together. Everyone has a customer—the job of our solutions is to create value for our customers, so they can in turn create value for their customers.

30 words or less: Jos' take on megatrends and the HP sales channel