HP Preps New ProCurve Channel Program
12:01 AM EDT Mon. Sep. 25, 2006
From the September 25, 2006 issue of CRN
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The new ProCurve Partner Program, set to be unveiled this week and launched Nov. 1, replaces HP's high-end ProCurve Elite and lower-end ProCurve ProPartner programs. It adds three new partner categories and enables top-level partners to buy through distribution if they so choose.
The changes come as part of a broader update to HP's PartnerOne channel program that tweaks and refines the vendor's partner strategy.
The new ProCurve program will provide more options and focused incentives for partners selling HP's networking products, said Darla Sommerville, vice president and Americas general manager at ProCurve Networking by HP, Palo Alto, Calif.
"I don't think there are particular problems we were trying to solve with the new program. It offers better alignment beyond just the Elite level. We had additional capabilities we wanted to add between Elite and ProPartner," Sommerville said.
The changes to the revamped channel program come from HP's own research and conversations with its partners, Sommerville said. They aim to protect partners' profitability, provide growth opportunities and offer rewards to partners based on their level of commitment, investment and sales volumes, she said.
The new program maintains the Elite designation as the top badge for its ProCurve partners but adds three new levels: Specialist, Professional and Select.
One change for Elite partners is that they now will be required to provide additional service capabilities, including "less than one-business day" repair or replacement and 24x7 post-sales support.
Another key difference for ProCurve Elite partners is that they now will be able to source ProCurve products through distribution partners such as Ingram Micro, Synnex and Tech Data, as well from HP. Previously, ProPartners bought through distribution, but Elite partners only sourced products directly from HP.
The addition of new sourcing options has been a top request from ProCurve Elite partners for some time, said Troy Cheatham, government and education markets manager at Complete Computing, a solution provider in Little Rock, Ark.
