The programme has been “streamline[d]” to “reduce complexity” and add new “digital capabilities”.
Partner First, alongside another programme called Partner Ready, was launched in October last year, both said at the time by the OEM to “build upon” its PartnerOne programme “to help partners of both new organisations capture and capitalise on opportunities through customer-oriented, solutions-led sales”.
Partner First is said to signify a “shift from products”, with Vincent Brissot, HP’s Vice President of Worldwide Channel Marketing in its Printing and Personal Systems department, stating that “we are gradually moving away from the product specialisation, focusing toward solution-oriented aspects that resonate much more with our customers […] and getting much more advanced into verticals and the way a customer is looking at the partner. It’s not an HP inside-out view. It’s a customer outside in approach that we’re taking on the solution track”.
Partner First has now been “streamline[d]”, HP Inc reported in a press release, with updates aimed at “helping partners drive sales and increase the speed and ease of doing business”. Among the updated features were a “simplified structure with streamlined membership levels and compensation”, an “upgraded HP Co-Marketing Zone that makes it easier to activate marketing campaigns”, and a new “Social Media Centre designed to help partners demonstrate their expertise”.
The streamlined programme aims to offer “more value to channel partners while radically simplifying” interactions with HP Inc, with three “primary membership tiers” including platinum, gold and silver alongside an “empowering” of distribution partners, allowing them to “draw from contacts” for knowledge and help. Partners can also “tap into new sales tracks tied to volume selling global systems integration” and more, with this helping “best tap” areas of “expertise and customer needs”.
A volume tracks focuses on print supplies, printers and PCs, while other tracks are aimed at global systems integrators and at special select products, services and solutions. The compensation process has also been “simplified” to help partners navigate it “more quickly and efficiently”. The Co-Marketing Zone meanwhile helps partners by being a “one-stop portal” for creating customisable branded and marketing materials.
Finally, the Social Media Centre will help partners share “strategic industry content on a variety of topics” across “major social channels”.
Thomas Jensen, Vice President and Head of Worldwide Channel Sales Strategy at HP Inc, commented: “Our channel community is key to HP’s continued growth, and we want to empower them to take on more of our business going forward. We reshaped the Partner First programme based on partner feedback and now have a programme that provides the insights and tools they need to grow and evolve with the market.
“The goal of the many changes we’ve made across program is to position all of our partners – regardless of programme status – to quickly and easily win and grow together with HP.”