HP Assigns Dedicated Channel Reps To 500 More SMB Partners

Adrian Jones, HP's vice president and general manager, Americas solution partners organization, said the expanded coverage model is designed to increase HP's SMB sales through the channel during its fiscal 2008, beginning Nov. 1. He said the expanded partner coverage model is in the process of being rolled out and will continue throughout 2008.

"We wanted to make sure that folks that don't have PBMs out in the field calling on them, that we have a dedicated resource in our call center designed to help support those SMB [partner] customers," he said.

As part of the plan, Jones said that HP is increasing its call center staff by about 20 percent.

"Most vendors in the last few years have pulled back in their business partner coverage," said Brian Deeley, manager of Graymar business solutions, a solution provider in Timonium, Maryland. "That's one of the benefits of XChange [CMP's solution provider conferences]. Sometimes that's the only way you get to meet with a vendor face to face. Anything that they do that gives us more support is great. Anytime I can talk to a real person I can get my problem solved or my question answered versus having to go to partner Website and having to search for the answers."

Jones noted that the increased partner support, which includes a revamped partner portal called SMB Expressway, coincides with HP's push into the SMB market with new products specifically designed for small business. He cited the new HP BladeSystem c3000. The HP c3000, introduced just last month runs all current c-Class server blades and can fit up to eight blades. More importantly, the c3000 plugs into a standard wall socket, a feature solution providers say makes blade technology extremely attractive to their SMB customers.

Jones said that HP selected the 500 partners that will receive dedicated inside sales reps primarily by where HP had gaps in its SMB sales coverage.

"Numbers come into it, it's a revenue game. But we look at a coverage model. It's about where we are covering the market today and where we have gaps," Jones said.