HP prepares for mid-market push
Vendor outlines plans to trap mid-market IT spend with ten.to.one initiative
HP hopes ten.to.one will help partners trap mid-market IT funds
HP has shed some light on how it intends to help partners trap the IT spend of mid-market firms through its ten.to.one initiative.
The scheme is aimed at helping HP VARs target firms with between 1,000 and 10,000 employees by providing them with access to products specifically tailored to the mid-market.
The vendor launched the initiative last month after HP research revealed that the mid-market is worth $7.5bn (£5bn) in untapped IT spend worldwide.
To help partners make the most of this opportunity, the vendor has announced three products aimed specifically at the mid-market.
These include a cloud-based version of its LoadRunner performance testing software and a reworked version of its IT infrastructure monitoring tool, SiteScope Operations Manager.
Frank aan de Stegge, director of product marketing at HP, said it has tailored its prices to the mid-market. “We have cherry-picked parts of our enterprise-ready product portfolio that can be replicated for use in the mid-market at a price point that suits users.”
As well as dedicated product offerings, HP will also provide VARs with marketing automation and partner enablement tools, he said.
Aan de Stegge added the vendor would be open to recruiting VARs with experience selling into mid-size enterprises because the mid-market has not been a traditional focus for HP.
“We are constantly evaluating our mix of channel partners,” he said. “And, I expect, we will have to add more partners to optimise our market coverage.”
Scott Murphy, HP and Symantec divisional leader at distributor Bell Micro, said the ten.to.one initiative represents a massive market opportunity for both the vendor and its partners.
“I do not think any other software vendor is doing as much to address this area of the market at the moment,” he added.