P. Raghuraman Country Manager – Emerging Businesses, HP-PSG India

HP launches New Channel Programmes

HP Remote Client Solutions (RCSs) are revolutionary data center alternatives to the traditional desktop or workstation. HP worldwide is a pioneer in this space and deeply understands the customer demands as it offers a complete range of solutions to suit their business requirements. Keeping in mind the importance of this ecosystem, HP has introduced new channel programmes for their partners called RCS Partner Portal, RCS Elite Club and Blade Runners Programme. P. Raghuraman, Country Manager – Emerging Businesses, HP-PSG India, throws more light on this.

Give some details about HP Remote Client Solutions.

HP Remote Client Solutions (RCS) are revolutionary data center alternatives to the traditional desktop or workstation. HP worldwide is a pioneer in this space and deeply understands the customer demands as it offers a complete range of solutions to suit their business requirements.

What is RCS Partner Portal? 

The partner portal is a secure website designed specifically for our channel partners. The portal provides everything a partner would need to know for selling, marketing and supporting HP products and services. The portal gives the power to be proactive, productive and the most importantly profitable; using it could not be simpler or safer. Designed especially for HP partners,

the HP Partner Portal is a secure website offering one-stop access to HP resources and services, the latest HP news and sales tools, plus management information one that cannot be found anywhere else. What is more, almost any transaction you need to do with HP is available on the portal, 24 x 7. No more faxing, emailing or waiting on the phone for someone to get back to you. The information on the HP Partner Portal has been custom-developed to help partners’ position and sell HP products and services to customers. Partners will find valuable resources such as product catalogues, upsell guides and training programmes that help them stay abreast of the latest technology and offer it to their customers.

What are RCS Elite Club and Blade Runners programme? 
RCS Elite Club is an exclusive club for RCS partners. This forum is a platform to share partner experiences, real market scenarios, technology updates and success stories. The key benefits of the club are that the knowledge about the product can be shared, and helps in specialization, solving issues and addressing them immediately. Also, it gives them a live market status and feedback.

Also, we believe that Blade PC is the future of client computing. We are starting a high- incentive programme for select 18 partners dealing in Blade PCs across India. In this programme, for business of half a million, partners get 5–10% incentive.

What are the other training programmes you are running? 
Taking forward from the National Partner Advisory Board that was held earlier this year, HP is introducing new channel programmes based on feedback from them. The partners contribute more than 60 per cent to HP’s business and hence the company extended support on infrastructure and management through its catalyst programme. 
* National Account Management – Given the fact that a lot of the small channel partners wish to grow big, the new HP programme will help them in scaling up. This programme will ensure that each of the top 25 partners have an assigned Relationship Manager. This Relationship Manager will help them scale up their business within HP into various BUs and also across geographies. Thus, top 25 partners will have a national resource managing their interface with HP. 
* Catalyst 2.0 – HP believes is not just imparting training to the partners on HP products and solutions, but on other relevant subjects that can help in their growth. CEOs of top 150 organizations will be taken through a Management Development programme on Financial Management, Mergers and Acquitions, expansion opportunities beyond India and raising capital (to initiate in September/October 2008). It will cover various aspects of the pressing needs of partners. These companies are going about a lot of mergers and acquisitions and they want to understand how to go about the same. We will have specialized agencies forwarding the required training to these partners. 
* Sales Efficiency Programme – In collaboration with Dale Carnegie, training sessions for 325 sales representatives from top 150 partners are held. Training sessions on easy five steps Sales Process Management, Sales Efficiency and Funnel Management have been held in ten cities (starting in August/September 2008).

What is the idea behind conducting these trainings? 
HP, to further extend support to its partners, is initiating programmes post their interaction with the partners during the National Partner Advisory Board session (PAB). Several of HP’s partners had indicated that they wanted the company to invest in training sessions that were beyond technical or product trainings. The partners contribute more than 60 per cent to HP’s business and hence the company extended support on infrastructure and management through its catalyst programme. However, HP is now looking at driving it forward in its next model and will be covering the financial management issues pertaining to partner’s business.

The Catalyst 2.0 programme will cover various aspects of the pressing needs of partners. These companies are going about a lot of mergers and acquisitions and they want to understand how to go about the same. We will have specialized agencies forwarding the required training to these partners. HP will be extending the same through an agency that specializes on financial matter. Partners also suggested that a portion of investments be directed toward building leadership qualities in the first line executives of the company since they take major decisions and establish relationships with customers. Besides, the company will also run training programmes for the sales people. HP is also planning to hold regional PAB to touch base with upcountry partners as well.

What are the benefits of being a HP partner? 
We believe that channel partners help in strategizing for a customer outreach programme in a specific region, as they have a better understanding of the customer needs in that region. This helps tremendously in new and emerging cities. The channel partners feel that HP is helping them to strategize to sell better by means of providing regular training to the store personnel. HP helps them to think big and grow their business.