HP Retools PartnerOne Channel Program

Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) has delivered sweeping changes to its PartnerOne channel program that reworks membership levels, rebates and certifications across all geographies and several business units, including the vendor’s Enterprise, Software, and Printing and Personal Systems groups.

Following through on a pledge first made at its Global Partner Conference last February to simplify key elements of its partner program starting with consolidating its rebate structure and certifications, the vendor now has re-tiered the PartnerOne membership structure and fine-tuned its earlier modifications.

Amid the two-year maelstrom that has clouded the company’s strategy and messaging, HP clearly felt the need to deliver clearer sounding notes to partners. To best understand the company’s intentions with PartnerOne, HP wants its partners to think three words: predictable, simple and profitable.

“Partner success is the foundation of HP’s relationship with the channel community, and our programs must evolve to help partners better serve our mutual customers,” said Todd Bradley, HP Strategic Growth Initiatives executive vice president. “HP PartnerOne continues to lead the industry by offering partners predictability, simplicity and profitability to allow more partners to increase revenue, earn greater rewards and grow their business with HP.”

Top level changes to the program, effective Nov. 1, 2013, include:

HP said it redirected the PartnerOne compensation model to link “core compensation” (think rewards and rebates) to membership status, pointed partners at new business revenue opportunities and tied sales incentives to targeted products and services.

The new Platinum, Gold, Silver and Business Partner membership levels, which are the same across HP business units and geographic regions, not only will differentiate partners but also offer end customers a clearer view of resellers’ capabilities, HP said. The vendor said it will brand the highest partnership levels in end user customer marketing campaigns.

HP also consolidated its certification process to make it easier for partners to identify and complete the training needed to achieve product and solution Specializations. For example, the number of technical certifications in the HP Enterprise Group has been reduced from 44 to 22. HP said the new process maintains its standards of competency for each specialization and builds on partners’ existing certifications.