HP Tells Synnex Varnex Attendees: Channel Partner Commitment Continues

Hewlett-Packard (NYSE:HPQ) executives at Synnex (NYSE:SNX) Varnex Spring 2013 reinforced HP’s commitment to channel partners. Among those in the spotlight: U.S. Midsize Commercial Sales VP Aaron Mills. 

Mills admitted that many partners have been questioning HP’s commitment to the channel. He conceded that HP was at a “crossroad and reflection point” but insiste d the company was moving in the right direction. Most of all, he told attendees the “ship has been stabilized” by CEO Meg Whitman.

Echoing recent statements from Whitman, Mills said HP is focused on a five-year turnaround plan. That plan is unfolding ahead of schedule, he added. HP has projected that it will be an industry-leading company by 2016 — tackling mobility, cloud, social, big data, client, server, PCs and transactional systems along the way.

According to Mills, HP plans to focuses its efforts on enterprise services and enterprise groups, predicting that 45 percent of company revenue in 2013 will involve those two areas. (Side note: Is that figure rising because PC sales are falling so rapidly and printer sales are week?)

While some HP acquisitions have suffered big setbacks (example: Autonomy), Mills insisted buyouts like 3Com and 3PAR are performing well. With regard to 3PAR, Mills told partners to pay close  attention to the revenue from the acquisition — but he did not disclose any figures.

Mills did, however, have a more direct sound bite for the company’s buyout of 3Com: “We have a networking infrastructure that is designed for the 21st century.” (Although 3Com also was the source of the failed WebOS and HP TouchPad push.)

“We are totally channel led,” Mills concluded, “but we can’t do it without you.”

After Mills exited the stage, Tracey Galloway, VP, Americas Channel, Attach Sales, Technology Services, pitched HP’s Proactive Care Service to VARs, offering partner customers discounts for upgrading to the service.