What happens when a vendor partner turns predator and raids your employees?
Some solution providers say they now face that unsettling question as the quest for top technical talent turns desperate. At the top of both solution provider and vendor wish lists are technical-savvy salespeople. Solution providers say that people who can understand a business problem and propose a technical solution are the hardest to find.
Late last year, several solution providers cried foul, saying that Hewlett-Packard crossed the line of ethical behavior when it hired away channel salespeople. One regional HP-only enterprise partner said HP hired away four of his employees.
"These were former HP salespeople who were laid off," said the solution provider, who asked not to be identified. "I took them on, and then when HP began hiring again, they took them back. I could match the salaries, but I couldn't match the benefits. I'll be reluctant to hire any former HP people in the future."
Another large multivendor solution provider, who also requested anonymity, said one of his best salesmen made a joint sales presentation with HP last year and HP was so impressed they hired him away.
"You don't expect to be blindsided by a partner who's the guy I go hand-in-hand with into accounts and I sell millions of dollars of their product every year," the solution provider said. "I have an issue with that. They've crippled us."
An HP spokesman said the company does not comment on employment issues.
HP Chairman and CEO Mark Hurd told CRN in November that HP has hired a substantial number of new salespeople and is looking for more.
"We are looking everywhere," he said. "This is part of us not just building out our direct sales force to sell direct but really in concert with our partners because we want to scale our partner relationships as a key part of our strategy. We had pretty good success in Q3 and Q4. Think of us as being more than 50 percent of what we hope to achieve," he said.
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