Scheme puts Compaq in touch with channel

The vendor?s optimised customer delivery initiative will increase its involvement with some resellers

Compaq is set to launch a branded accreditation for resellers in the SME market and agency supply contracts for software system vendors, under its optimised customer deli- very initiative.

The manufacturer will introduce the small medium business (SMB) reseller programme to increase its involvement with resellers that buy product from its nine distributors.

SMB-branded resellers will be expected to set aside dedicated showroom space for Compaq kit. In return, Compaq will put more account managers on the streets to help resellers close deals and will invest heavily in promoting the accreditation to corporates.

Commenting on the agency style approach for system software, Peter Blampied, Compaq UK commercial market manager, said: ?In the past, software solution companies had to buy Compaq product from distribution. But many companies have no interest in selling hardware. They do, however, want to benefit from the hardware revenue they have generated.?

Fulfilment will probably be handled by two or three distributors, Blampied said.

Compaq is adopting an increasingly segmented approach in its dealings with the channel. The firm?s latest initiatives, together with its direct sales operation targeting ?micro-businesses?, form the optimised customer delivery initiative.

Formerly called Channel 2000, the strategy is intended to lower the delivered cost of product through the channel. ?We want to be a $40 billion company by 2000,? said Blampied.