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HP takes channel types back to school

Scraps Enterprise Group sales certifications, shifts to biz-based training

HP GPC Product specific sales certifications for HP Enterprise Group resellers are to be struck off in favour of four centred on hybrid IT, big data, mobility and security.

The rationale, HP told us, is to get channel types more in sync with the business issues that keep their customers awake at night by training them on “solutions” rather than point products.

These four “transformation” areas have a total available market of $1 trillion but HP has got lots of competition here - these sectors have also been earmarked as strategic by most rivals.

“We’ll rotate around those areas because it is more outcome base. We are also taking our consulting services portfolio and laying down practices for reseller to sell and deliver around the four areas,” Sue Barsamian, senior veep for indirect sales at HP EG told El Chan.

“You don’t transform a customer by showing up and selling a box,” she added in an interview with us at HP’s Global Partner Conference in Vegas.

Enterprise resellers will still be required to sit technical certifications for servers, storage, networking, etc.

Barsamian said partners need to keep the classic on-premise business spinning but help customers that want to consume technology as a service, “it’s a different [sales] motion”.

“Every partner is trying to figure out their next phase,” she added.

End user organisations are more educated on tech products than they were historically but continue to buy tech in the traditional way which requires channel partners to maintain technical certifications, said Tiffani Bova, veep and distinguished analyst at Gartner.

“However there is a tremendous amount of spend happening that doesn’t start with a technology conversation so all providers need to train their channel on how to have senior level business discussions”. ®

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