HP: Committed to be a Channel-Friendly Company

Ajay Sehgal,
Country Manager, LaserJet & Enterprise Solutions,
Imaging and Printing group, HP India

Vendor channel relationship is one of the most important aspects in any sphere of IT business. HP is committed to aligning the company with its distributors and resellers to build long-term, profitable relationships that will see the companies evolve in the same direction over the years.  

HP has always been known for delivering better value proposition to its channel community through the adoption of strategic approach, which has helped the company to distinguish itself from other competing vendors. HP being one of the biggest players in the IT market in India, it is expected that the company must be mulling over a comprehensive plan to address the emerging market trends in 2011. Ajay Sehgal, Country Manager, LaserJet & Enterprise Solutions, Imaging and Printing group, HP India, unveils a plethora of programmes addressed to the channel partners, SMEs, etc. 

“As the leader in Imaging and Printing, HP shares a deep relationship with its channel partners. Our constant engagement with partners across the nation has helped us develop a relationship of mutual support in any situation,” says Ajay.  

The key to a successful vendor-channel relationship is first and foremost clear communications. From the start, it is important that both parties understand what is expected of them and what they want to achieve from the partnership. For HP, building strong partner relationships is essential, and this requires that channel pros have a clear idea of what their goals are and how much effort they are willing to invest in achieving those objectives. 

From a vendor education perspective, HP is on par with its peers in specific product training. The value of an educated channel partner is fairly obvious - people will sell what they know and are comfortable with. HP has a number of training initiatives in place, ranging from demo programmes to end-customer engagement and awareness building activities. 

“In order to deliver the best of our product and services to our customers, we not only empower our channel partners adequately but also provide them with rigorous training time and again so that they can cater to each and every need of the consumers,” says Ajay. Recently, HP undertook 117 training programmes in 46 cities for over 1,000 channel partners and also conducted 30-channel meets across India.   

HP has an extensive channel partner network across the country comprising of IPG Platinum, Gold and Silver categories. Ajay adds, “We will continue to strengthen our distribution network across the country through our partners. This will mean covering more and more geographies. In fact, for many products our sales today in smaller cities are higher than some of the metros, i.e. the growth happening in these cities is higher than the metros.” 

Empowering Channel Community

HP has a vast array of Partner Programmes that help build up the knowledge repository of channel partner engaged in a business relationship with HP. “We also run a lot of channel programmes and incentives backed by a lot of end-customer promotions as well. Channel education will continue to be an intrinsic part of our strategy and we will focus on increasing our engagements with them through forums where they can learn more about our products and services,” says Ajay.   

During the past one year, HP undertook a slew of initiatives for the channel partners such as training programmes, roadshows and seminars to focus on channel partners growth and development and to ensure that the partners are in sync with the HP's growth strategy. HP rolled out some of the special programmes in the past six months that include HP LaserJet Buy Back Offer and “Demand More” campaign. 

Finally...

Partnership with channel is a vital part of every vendor. As businesses expand globally, the vendors need to efficiently communicate with customers, or risk losing business opportunities. That partners are key to a successful business strategy is well understood by HP. These channel initiatives undertaken by HP will help the partner community in developing their business process by creating more opportunity, demand and visibility in the business sphere, thereby receiving greater recognition among customers. This will help HP in the expansion of their customer base in India.

Partners'  Musings 

Partners are the flesh and blood of this vendor. On the other hand, HP is also very sensitive to partner's requirements. It may be enabling them, incentivizing them, or even recognizing them. VARIndia talked to some of the HP's partners to know their viewpoints.  

HP AchievePlus programme is an excellent platform that not only motivates sales representatives but also provides them an opportunity to fulfil their dreams. The more they achieve, the higher are the rewards! This programme also helps them to set a benchmark for their colleagues. Vineet Panwar, Business Head, C.I. Infotech Pvt. Ltd.  

HP LaserJet Buy Back Offer is an exclusive programme introduced by HP recently for all its customers across India. The programme provides customers with an opportunity to buy new LaserJet Printers/scanners but also gives them better value for their old printer through rebates. The programme is receiving positive response from the consumer fraternity and is also helping the channel partners create value for the services offered. Rajeev Mehta, MD, Zest Systems Pvt. Ltd., Delhi.   

“Demand More” campaign was one of the biggest campaigns executed by HP so far, which has received tremendous response from both consumers and channel fraternity. I think the company has worked closely with its channel partners to increase awareness about the HP printing advantage through various means which include demo zones, exciting POP material, special trainings programmes, seminars, etc. that  to focus on channel partners' growth and development. Thus, with the various initiatives under this campaign, HP is creating demand pull for its LaserJet printers and thus driving business for channel partners. PS Premjit, CTO, Liberty Automation, Mumbai.

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Channel Partners: Umbilical Cord of HP

A company which survives on channel partners is HP. The basic idea of the company is to help the partners grow, and that is where the growth of the company lies. VARIndia talked to Ajay Sehgal, Country Manager, LaserJet & Enterprise Solutions, Imaging and Printing group, HP India, to get the company's latest on the channel front. Excerpts from the interview:  

What value do the partner programmes add to your product range? What role do training programmes play in retaining the partners' loyalty? What are you doing towards developing partner base in the country? 

We conduct periodic training programmes for our partners and their sales teams on product and application skill sets. There are demo programmes and end-customer engagement and awareness building activities done all the year round to enable our partners to remain updated on the latest trends in the imaging and printing arena. Over and above this, we do a lot of collaterals meant for specific customers segments within SMB. We also run a lot of channel programmes and incentives backed by a lot of end-customer promotions as well. Channel education will continue to be an intrinsic part of our strategy and we will focus on increasing our engagements with them through forums where they can learn more about our products and services.  

Thus, such initiatives will not only ensure channel partners to remain ahead of others when it comes to understanding technology and the dynamics of the imaging and printing business, but also help businesses obtain more value from their IT investments. 

Channel network is clearly our extended sales force and an integral part of HP. We have an extensive channel partner network across the country comprising of IPG Platinum, Gold and Silver categories. We will continue to strengthen our distribution network across the country through our partners. This will mean covering more and more geographies. In fact, for many products our sales today in smaller cities are higher than some of the metros, i.e. the growth happening in these cities is higher than the metros. 

Please brief us on AchievePlus Award 10 Ka Dum recently conducted by HP?

10th HP AchievePlus Award Night - 10 Ka Dum is an endeavour by HP India to recognize achievers with only the best premium gifts and make their journey to success, the most pleasant and rewarding experience. This event awarded top performing channel partners for their outstanding performance, along with the longest legacy of association with this programme. Being one of the most successful initiatives in India, HP AchievePlus Nights have been hosted this year in Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore and Mumbai.   

Please share us some information about the HP LaserJet Buy Back Offer?  

HP LaserJet Buy Back Offer is a unique initiative that allows customers to discover value in their old printer through a cash rebate when somebody buys a new LaserJet printer along with hassle-free removal of customer's old printer from their office at no extra cost.  

“Demand More” campaign: Started on 28th July, 2010 up till 31st October, 2010, this is among the biggest campaigns unveiled so far by HP's Imaging and Printing division with 360-degree coverage across media be it TV, print, online and OOH that would highlight HP LaserJet market and technology leadership in the last 25 years. 

What is the impact of HP's  programmes on channel fraternity specially the recently held 10th HP AchievePlus Award night in Delhi -10 Ka Dum? 

Recently, HP undertook 117 training programmes in 46 cities for over 1,000 channel partners and also conducted 30 channel meets across India.   

This one-of-its-kind rewards programme is an endeavour by HP India to recognize Partner Sales Reps for their Loyalty and best-in-class business contribution to HP Products Sales. This 10th HP AchievePlus Night awarded top performing channel partners for their outstanding performance, along with the longest legacy of association with this programme. Being one of the most successful initiatives in India, HP AchievePlus Nights have been hosted this year in Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore and Mumbai. We are extremely glad to reward our valuable channel partners at the 10th AchievePlus Award Night in Delhi - 10 Ka Dum, as a part of our ongoing proactive engagement programme with them. The awards given out at the event were specially designed to recognize our channel partners' outstanding performance and contribution in driving the leadership position for HP IPG in India.

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